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1 



Journey /o California 






Journal of James Bennett Whose Party Left 

New Harmony in J850 and Crossed 

the Plains and Mountains until 
the Golden West was 

Reached 







New Harmony, Indiana. 
1906 



Times Print 



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•1S43 



Printed in an edition of 

200 copies 

from the files of the 

New Harmony Times 

wherein the journal appeared 

serially March i6- August 3. 1906 

EDWARD EBERSTADT 
55 West 42nd Street, New York 



5 T ^ 

^ Journal of James Bennett Whose Party Left New Harmony in 1850 ^ 

^ aod Crossed Plains and Mountains until the Golden West was Reached V 



Overland Journey to California. I 



A FOREWORD. 



James Bennett, whose journal of the 
overland trip to California in 1850 the 
Times will publish, died December 14, 
1869 in the fifty sixth year of his ai/e. 
He was a member of Robert Owen's 
community and attended the School of 
Industry where he learned the art of 
printinjf. In 184C he established in 
New Harmony the Western Atlas but 
subsequently chanjfed it to the Glean- 
er. It was under his tuteletje that the 
veteran editor, the late Charles Slater, 
learned the art of the printer and it is 
worthy of notice that the first type Mr. 
Slater set was for James Bennett and 
the last type that Mr. Bennett set was 
for Charles Slater. Beinjf a journal- 
ist when that title meant its possessor 
possessed literary ability, we can look 
for an ably written and well told nar- 
rative. The journal is in the quaint 
style of penmanship taui^ht threescore 
years ajfo and is as lejfible as print. 
The outside pages are faded by water 
which shows that the journal has at 
sometime been exposed to the elements. 
The party that left New Harmony on 
the first day of April, 1850 was compos- 
ed of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Bolton, 
William Bolton, William Pritchard, 
Miles I{;dmonds,G.'orift' Hamilton. John 
Mills, Mr. Oaizmai), Mr. Sweesey, wife, 
daug'hter and son. Jonathan Jackson, 
John O'Neal, Mitch O'Neal, William 
Faulkner, Ira Lynns and James Ben- 
net,t. 



Tlie journal says that the first day's 
task lay in crossing- the Wabash river. 
On the Illinois bank the party rested 
and went into camp, their first uifjht 
under the canopy of heaven, a canopy 
tJiat was to be their only cover ior the 
next six months; a half year full of 
strange experiences and fraught with 
i more dangers than one can now find in 
I the whole wide world. 
f The final leave taking before the ar- 
gonauts began their journey we.stward, 
I was said here and goodbyes werespok- 
! en with voices broken by grief and eyes 
I blinded with tears. The plunge into 
I the western wilderness was here to com- 
I mence and manv were the misgivings 
asoldfrieod held old friend's hand 
and relative saw their kith and kin de- 
parting on a voyage beset with un- 
known terrors. 

The scene that was witnessed on the 
banks of the placid Waliasii thit 
Spring night was full of color. Flam- 
ing camp fires illuminated a back- 
ground composed of huge covered 
wagons and mild eyed oxen grazinir 
passively on the forests of canes and 
rushes tliat once covei-ed Fox Island. 
The I'uddy glow shone sparkling up- 
on the bosom of the river and exposed 
the course for the canoes loaded with 
friends who were coming to speak a 
last farewell The journal says the 
argonauts and visitors danced upon 
the grassy bank of the river and pass- 



eil the last ni^ht in an atteiuplto drive 
awa.v painful reflections. 

siuch a scene of this will always live 
in the niemor.v of the one who witness- 
ed it and no doubt there yet lives in 
New Harmony someone who took part 
in that last night. The placid river, 
the ruddy fires and the animated 
ji-roupsl Some eager with anticipation 
of what the journey would bring forth; 
the balance despondent over the part- 



ing. The cane-brakes pressing close- 
ly around and perhaps affording cov- 
ert for the stealthy panther and skulk- 
ing wolf that then lurked in these 
parts and which looked with curiosity 
upon the scene; while over all the star- 
ry firmament shed its light, a light 
that was to pour its glamour over them 
until the land of the setting sun was 
reached. -EDITOR Times. 



Journal of James Bcnnt-tt Whose Party Left New Harmony in 1850 
and Crossed Plains and Mountains until the Golden West was Reached 



T^ft New Harmony, Indiana April 
Isl 18.50, having eight wagons to cross 
tlip Wabash. The day was so far ad- 
vanced that we camped on the opposite 
shore still in view of the place of start- 
ing: our friends paid us a parting vis- 
it after sun set. the evening was spent 
in dancing under the shelter of a large 
sycamore, by firelight. 

Tuesday, 2od:-Breakfast at an early 
hour and prepared for a final leave of 
the folks at the river landing. Lyons 
and myself started on in advance to 
provide game for the party, saw a 
number t)f wild turkeys in the morning 
but were unfortunate in shooting at 
them. We proceeded on the road 
leading to Grayville until we reached 
French Creek bridge where we cooked 
our dinners and determined to wait till 
the wagons overtook us, fearful that 
some accident might have hai)pened to 
them on crossing Fo.x River. We had 
suceeded in securing a suHicient supply 
of game and we filled up our time in 
dressing it for supper. The wagon* 
came up in about an hour and a half. 
We reached Grayville that evening 
where we camped for th'^ night, here 
the first guard was set. It commenced 



raining and continued without inter- 
; mission during the night. 

Wednesday.3rd: -Wednesday showers 
all day. We reached Albion, 111., at 2 
o'clock in a severe hailstorm. Here 
another person, a Mr. Spencer, was 
added to our party Encamped about 
two miles out on the Maysville road. 

Thurs. 4th: Weather fair during the 
day. I proceeded as usual in advance 
of the train on a hunting excursion; a- 
bout two hours before sundown I got a 
shot at a deer and wounded it badly 
but the day was too far spent to follow 
it and consequently lost it. Pitched 
our tent for the night at a Mr. Shelby's. 

Friday 5th:-Rain set in again this 
morning and continued at intervals 
throughout the day. Our route was 
through marshy prairies, the o.^en 
frequently sinking to their middles in 
mud and water and being mostly un- 
iiroken cattle, the men were compelled 
to follow them in all their windings. 
The party arrived at Fox River com- 
pletely drenched, had considerable 
difficulty in crossing the bridge, it was 






1'^ 



'in very bad state of repair so we were 
compelled to ford the stream. That 
nijcht three of us wore started in ad- 
vance to make arranjfements for feed- 
inff the cattle; we succeeded in finding 
some but the train was unable to reach 
the place, so we returned to the place 
of encamping, two miles back. 

Saturday (Jth: Travelled 12 miles, 
had a good breakfast. Passed Mays- 
ville at 1' o'clock and continued on to a 
farmhouse. Camped a mile and a half 
furthur on in the middle of Twelve 
Mile Prairie. The weatlier was fair to- 
day and the road very good. In pass- 
ing through the strii»s of woodland we 
killed plenty of sijuirrels for supper. 

Sunday 7th: Continuing our journey 
across Twelve Mile Prairie, saw a great 
number of prairie cliickens but could 
not approach them within shootingdis- 
tance. This morning I was persuaded 
by a number of our party to take out 
my shot-gun instead of ray rifle and 
try for small game. 1 soon found I 
had made a mistake for I had not L'One 
far until I was in fair rifle shot of two 
deer feeding at their leisure on the 
prairie. About 12 oclock the wagons 
overtook me and I took the opportuni- 
ty to change my gun. 1 succeeded about 
4 oclock in killing a fine deer, it was 
not far from the road and was .=oon 
carried to our encampment, on one of 
the horses. Weather cool and fair. 

Monday Sthr-Last night the .attle 
were without feed. We started early 
and travelled three or four miles be- 
fore breakfast. At 10 oclock we did 
ample justice to the vension I had kill- 
ed the day before having made way 
with both the hams at one meal. Our 



route for the last three days has been 
principally through prairie country, 
with occasional intervening strips of 
woodland, from a quarter to a mile in 
width in all of which we have managed 
to procure an abundant suuply <>^ 
small game. We encamped in one of 
these strii)S to-night where we found 
plenty of wood, water and feed for the 
cattle. 

Tuesday !tth:-Tiiis morning we com- 
menced crossing an arm of the (Jrand 
Prairie, 20 miles wide-. In passing a- 
long the telegraph wii-e e.xtending from 
Vincennes to St. Louis, we saw hun- 
dreds of snipes fiying in Hocks over 
the prairie anM frequently striking the 
wire with such force as to kill them in- 
stantly; we picked up four that we saw 
killed in this manner, out of one flock. 
Their wings were strewed all alojig 
the road across this prairie, having 
been cut ofT as clean as it cojld be 
done with a knife. This was altogeth' 
er a disagreeable day. Tiie morning 
set in cold and cloudy and when we 
had traveled three or four miles out 
(in the prairie it commenced snowing 
I slightly, but changed to rain in the 
afternoon. We got through a little 
before sunset and encamped on a hill- 
! side near a farm house. 

Wednesday I0th:-Last night the 
weather cleared up and when we com- 
menced our journey this morning it 
was cold and frosty. Crossed the 
Okaw, at Carlisle, 9 o'clock, A. M. 
Mr. Mills. Coombe and myself went 
on ahead of the train to hunt in a strip 
of woodland, four miies from Carlisle, 
where we parted and took different 
directions in pursuit of game. We 
had not been long separated when I 



heard the report of a rifle and having 
soon come up with Mr. Coombe, 1 
found that he had killed a deer, which 
I helped him carry to the road, where 
we met the train and placed it in one 
of the wagons Crossed the bridge 
over Shoal Creek, at 3 o'clock and en- 
camped near the fork of the Alton and 
St Louis roads. We taking the road 
to Alton. 

Thursday 11th: -We had another 
severe frost last night and found ice 
on a small pond a quarter of an inch 
thick. Commenced our journey again 
after breakfast and passed over a 
prairie four miles wide. Saw a num- 
ber of prairie chickens, wild ducks and 
snipes but all too wild to be approach- 
ed within gun shot. Passed through 
Looking Glass Prairie (8 miles wide 
where we crossed) and encamped on a 
beautiful clear creek, with plenty of 
wood near at hand, about a mile and 
a half in the timber; making in all 18 
miles travel to-day. The day was 
clear and pleasant and by the time we 
reached our place of encampment we 
had killed plenty of rabbits, squirrels 
and other small game for supper. 

Friday 12th:-This morning when we 
awoke we found the weather cold and 
cloudy with some indications of rain 
Passed through Troy, four mi>les from 
our place of encampment at 10 o'clock. 
We had a slight shower in the morn- 
ing, which soon passed over, however, 
and we commenced crossing another 
pr&irie, 5 miles wide, with a cold 
north west wind blowing in our faces. 
Stopped at a farm, in the middle of the 
prairie, at 12 o'clock, to feed our cattle 
and take a lunch. Passed through 
Edwardsville, 7 miles from Troy, at 



.3 o'clock. Called at the printingoffice 
in this place and was politely furnish- 
ed with a late p.-iper, by the proprietor. 
Encamped Smiles from Edwardsville 
and nine southeast of Alton. 

Saturday 13th-Weather still cold, 
but olear. Directly after leaving our 
encampment this morning, we had to 
pass along the borders of a small 
praii ie with ^ lake in the middle of it, 
for about two miles with a cold north- 
west wind blowing in our faces. In 
fact, I have seldom suffered more with 
cold than I did this morning, in this 
exposed situation. Reached Alton at 
11 o'clock and wrote a letter home. 
Here we were persuaded from our 
original intention of crossing the 
Mississippi on account of a scarcity of 
feed for cattle through Missouri, and 
struck for Hannibal, 100 miles further 
north Encamped on a small creek 8 
liiiles north of Alton. . 

Sunday 14th-For the last two days. 
owing to wind and cold weather, we 
have been entirely unsuccessful in 
hunting. Mills and I started early 
this morning, to endeavor if possible 
to procure game. The weather cloud- 
ed up and we had a regular snow 
storm, which lasted all day, covering 
the ground to a depth of three inches. 
Arrived at .Jersey ville at 3 o'clock, 
having travelled 12 miles. Stopped at 
a farm house half a mile from town, 
where we had the convenience of a 
barn to sheller us from the storm dur- 
ing the night Killed G rabbits, but 
had no means of cooking them this 
evening. 

Monday 15th-When we awoke this 
morning we found the snow had en- 



tirely ceased and the day bid fair to 
be clear. We delayed starting how- 
ever, for three or four hours. In the 
iDe:.ntime, Hamilton, Lyon and my- 
self were invited to g'ive some music at 
the tavern in Jersey ville. We ac- ' 
cepted, played a few tunes on our in- I 
truments and prepared to leave at 10 
o'clock. The sun once more broke 
forth clear and beautiful, and the 
snow entirely disappeared in the 
course of two hours. Passed through 
a prairie for 5 miles to the town of 
Cain. One mile more brought us to 
heavy timbered woodlan'd and after 
traveling three miles further encamp- 
ei on the bank of a creek. When we 
had fairly settled down at our encamp- 
ment in the evening, we were suddenly 
alarmed by the cry of fire Mr. 
Mitchell's wagon cover had taken fire 
from a candle placed inside. It was 
soon extinguished with but little dam- 
age. 

Tuesday lOth-Rain set in early in 
the morning and a council being held, 
we concluded to stop till the rain was 
over. Rain all day. Being in the 
neighborhood of a saw mill, we bor- 
rowed some plank and erected a shed 
to cook under. Towards night we be- 1 
came apprehensive that the creek, 
which had already commenced foam- i 
ing at a furious rate, would inundate 
our camp ground. Our fears were i 
groundless, however, for near mid- j 
night the rain ceased, the foaming wa- ; 
ters began to subside and on I 

Wednesday nth- We resun)ed our ; 
journey and passed through Carrolton j 
4 miles on our way 12 o'clock. This ; 
we found to be quite a flourishing lit- j 
tie village, containing two printing of- j 
fices, a large court house and a num- . 



ber of merchantile houses. There was 
also a brass band in this place, said 
to be very good. Encamped in a 
beautiful valley, surrounded with 
high bluffs, within five miles of the 
Illinois river, having traveled about 
I'd miles • 

Thursday ISth-Commenced crossing 
a low marshy prairie. 5 miles wide, 
with the high cliflFs bordering the 
northern bank of the Illinois, in full 
view in the distance. Saw a great 
number of wild geese and ducks but 
they were very shy, and would take 
flight whenever we attempted to ap- 
proach them. Mr. Combe succeeded 
killing a goose. Arrived on the bank 
of the river about 11 o'clock and were 
detained three or four hours in cross- 
ing. After dinner we again coramenc. 
ed winding our way between high 
rocky bluff's for S or 4 miles, and had 
considerable difficulty in crossing the 
small creeks in our way. We crossed 
one more than a dozen times within the 
space of a mile and finally missed the 
road. By inquiry at a farm house, we 
learned that we could strike the main 
road again by going 7 miles out of our 
course on the trail that we were then 
following and we concluded to keep on. 
After ascending a very high bluff, 
which tested the strength of our teams 
to the utmost, we encamped for the 
night The proceeds of todays hunt 
was 13 squirrels and a goose. 



Friday 19th-A slight rain began to 
fall at 7 o'clock this morning. Mr. 
Mills killed a deer soon after 
starting and seeing it deposited in one 
of the wagons, we again started in ad- 
vance of the train. After traveling 
about 7 miles in which we had con- 
siderable difficulty in tracing a blind 



track we again reached the main road. 
Our road now which was very good, 
wound through the bluffs to every 
point of the compass, for 6 miles, until 
we reached Bay Creek, in the Missis- 
sippi bottoms where we encamped. 
Rain all day. 

Saturday 20th- We continued our 
course along the foot of the bluffs 
which we crossed yesterday, in nearly 
a north-west course for 10 miles until 
we reached ihe town of Atlas, within 
6 miles of Louisiana on the Mississip- 
pi, where we turned due west and en- 
camped at a deserted log house on 
Cockle-burr creek 3 miles from Atlas, 
making 13 miles. In the eveaing quite 
a number of country people, both la- 
dies and gentlemen, were attracted to 
the camp by our music and the even- 
ing was passed in dancing, in which 
our visitors joined us. Recitations 
were also given by Mr. Jackson and 
sinirins^- bv a number of the Corripany. 
Our visitors retired at 11 o'clock high- 
ly delij^hted. The weather today was 
cloudy but pleasant. The proceeds of 
our hunting was 18 squirrels and a 
rabbit, all of which we had cooked in 
good style for supper. 

Sunday 21st-After traveling 3 miles 
this morning over a low marshy 
prairie where the wagon wheels would 
often sink to the hubs in mud and 
water, we reached the Mississippi at 
Louisiana, Mo., at 10 o'clock and 
crossed in a steam ferry-boat. The 
time occupied in crossing the train 
was 3 hours. After purchasing a few 
necessary articles for the journey we 
commenced moving again at 1 o'clock. 
The weather which was cloudy but 
quite pleasant during the morning had 



now become oppressively hot: and 
what with bad roads, u probability of 
no feed for our jaded cattle and a 
thunder storm coming up in the dis- 
tance, the prospect was gloomy indeed. 
We at last succeeded in purchasing 
some corn and straw and encamped on 
a clear creek, between two high bluffs 
() miles from Louisiana The storm 
came upon us soon after our fires 
were kindled which delayed our cook- 
ing for some time and we retired to 
our tents and wagons after a lute sup- 
per. 

Monday 22nd-The rain continued at 
intervals in hard showers tiiroughoul 
last night but ceased entirely at 7 o- 
clock this morning when we set out on 
our journey again, through very bad 
roads and only made about twelve 
miles all day. 

Tuesday 23rd-The weather cleared 
up again last night and we had a hard 
frost. Ice was formed on the little 
pools of water near our encampment. 
Mills and I started ahead of the wag- 
ons again today on a hunting excur- 
sion, but we had only gone about 3 
miles when we jeame to a very bad 
place in the road for a quarter of a 
mile and we determined to seek a bet- 
ter way and stop to pilot the train 
through We succeeded in tracing out 
a verv good route and the wagons got 
through with but little difficulty. 
Passed through two small villages. 
Spencersburg and Madisonville and 
encamped 2 miles out in a prairie. 

Wednesday 24th- Another severe 
frost last night. Our road this morn- 
ing passed over a wet prairie for 8 
miles which we got through in about 



five hours and reached the timber 
again at 11 o'clock, where we stopped 
to rest our cattle. Traveled 8 or f) 
miles after dinner over prairie and 
timber land and encamped for the 
night on a small creek within two miles 
of Salt river. 

Thursday 25Lh-Forded Salt river at 
8 o'clock a. lu. and reached Piiris at 4 
p. m. After a fruitless search for feed 
for the cattle, we were compelled to 
stop, nig-ht having overtaken us 2.J 
miles from Paris. Nothwithstanding 
the day was warm and sultry and the 
roads in a bad order, we traveled 16 
or 17 miles The evening was mild 
and pleasant and for the first time this 
season we heard the notes of the whip- 
poorwill. 

Friday 56th- We have had but few 
really pleasant mornings since we left 
home. When not damp, rainy and 
otherwise disagreeable the weather has 
been cold to such a degree that it has 
often been with considerable reluc- 
tance that we have left our comfortable 
campfires to encounter another weari- 
some day's journey. This morning 
however, a soft southern breeze greet- 
ed us as we emerged into a high, benu- 
tiful prairie giving us new life and 
energy. That portion of Missouri 
which we have already passed over is 
a liilly and barren country; but within 
a day or two these have given place 
to rich and fertile farms and a denser 
population. On account of poor fare 
last night for our cattle, we stopped 
somewhat earlier than usual, having 
found hay cheap and plentiful and a 
good range for them in a woods pas- 
ture during the night. We traveled 



about 14 miles today. 

Saturday 27th-Left our encampment 
this morning at 7 o'clock. At 9 
o'clock a part of our wagons were de- 
tained at a small town called Milton, 
to have some repairs done. They re- 
joined us again at 1 o'clock; we hav- 
ing stopped to wait for them. Passed 
through Huntsville at 4 o'clock and 
encamped a mile and a half out. Here 
we had intended to turn more south 
and cross the Missouri at Glasgow; 
but we were advised tu the contrary 
and kept the main traveled route. We 
were unfortunate in the selection of 
our camping ground this evening. A 
rain storm came upon us just at dark, 
which lasted all night, and in the 
morning we found ourselves in a com- 
plete mud-hole. 

Sunday 28th-We had considerable 
difficulty in cooking our breakfast in 
the rain and did not start until 10 o'- 
clock. Traveled 4 miles in a hard 
rain and having found a high piece 
of ground on the bank of a creek with 
plenty of wood and good grazing for 
the cattle, we encamped. A large log 
fire was soon kindled from a dead wal- 
nut tree which we felled on the spot 
and as it sent up its crackling flames 
among the dry branches, diffusing its 
warmth around, cheerfulness soon as- 
sumed its place on many gloomy coun- 
tenances, and the hardships of the 
morning were forgotten. The weather 
cleared up again the evening. The 
stars once more broke forth, bright 
and beautiful and we enjoyed Our log 
fire with a degree of pleasure which 
those accustomed to similar comforts 
at home must, be entire strangers to. 
A party of Germans, numbering 12 or 



14 persons were encamped in about a i 
hundred yards of us and seemed to en- | 
joy themselves vastly in singing some 
of their native songs which were 
translated in part for us by Mr. Otz- 
man. 

Monday 29th-Our progress was slow 
this morning owing to muddy roads. 
After a drive of four miles we stopped 
at a farm to feed our cattle. One mile 
further on we came to a high rolling 
prairie where we found the road very 
good and concluding that the wagons 
would of course cross, it being only 
7 miles, Mr. Mills, Lyon and myself 
went on in advance with our guns. 
When we had proceeded over 5 miles, 
we learned by a gentlemau who over- 
took us on horseback, that our com- 
pany had encamped for the night 4 
miles back. We consequently had to 
retrace our steps and rejoined our 
companions at sun-set. 



Tuesday 30th-The wind blew a per- 
fect hurricane during a part of last 
night and this morning when I took 
ray station on the watch at 3 o'clock, 
dark heavy clouds were lloating past, 
nearly obscuring the light of a full 
moon and with the rautterings of dis- 
tant thunder gave indications of an 
approaching storm. I called up all 
hands at 4 o'clock in order to have 
breakfast before the storm broke upon 
us, which it did in about two hours 
just as we were leaving our encamp- 
ment. It cleared away, however, in a 
short time and gave place to a cold, 
north wind which lasted the remainder 
of tlie day, bringing overcoats and 
gloves in requisition. After traveling 
ten miles we passed through a miser - 



able, dilapidated looking town, called 
Keytesville, situated in a strip of 
woods, si.x miles wide, between two 
prairies. Seven miles further on 
and we encamped at a place called In- 
dian Grove, four miles out in a 
prairie. 

Wednesday May Ist-I forgot to 
mention that we passed a place a day 
or two ago, where a person had kept a 
correct account of the number of Cali- 
fornia wagons which had passed on 
this road the present season, bound 
for St. Joseph's. According to liis 
list the number had already reached 
TOT). In fact, we can hardly travel a 
mile now, without coming upon the dy- 
ing embers of some recent encamp- 
ment. We were occupied some time 
j this morning in collecting our cattle 
i and made a late start. Although the 
road was very good, passing over 
I high rolling ground, called Chariton 
Prairie, we only traveled 10 miles. 
Encamped early on the bank of a 
small stream called Salt Creek, which 
as its name indicates we found so 
strongly impregnated with salt that 
we wrere corfipelled" tb make use of 
water from an adjoining pond for 
Goeking puirposes . 



Thursday 2nU-We started early this 
morning, stopping oar course for the 
ferry on Grand River, eight miles dis- 
tant, where we arrived at noon over 
one of the worst roads we have passed 
on the route. This river, as I was in- 
formed by the ferryman is 200 yards in 
width. We were detained .3 hours in 
crossing and encamped a quarter of a 
mile from the river in the edge of a 
prairie. Game of all kinds has been 



very scarce since we crossed into 
Missouri. We saw several deer, how- 
ever, yesterday and to-day and Mr. 
Combe killed a turkey. We have jfen. 
erally mauaired arnonjf us to keep up a 
pretty {{ood supi)]y of small game. 

Friday 3rd-Rain set in early in the 
raornin>f and lasted nearly all day 
We had some difficulty in collecting 
our cattle and di^l not start till i» o'- 
clock. Traveled 14 miles entirely 
throutfh prairie and encamped in a 
point of timber half a mile from the 
main road. 

Saturday 4th-For the last three or 
four days we have found it utterly im- 
possible to buy feed of any kind for 
the cattle and they have had to subsist 
entirely on j^rass, which is very sliort^ 
the season having' been backward. 
We traveled V.i miles today entirely 
through prairie and encamped on 
Shoal Creek, running through a strip 
of heavy timber, where we found an 
abundance of excellent grass. 

Sunday r)th-We fo^jnd the grass at 
this point so good that we concluded 
to remain here today and recruit oiir 
cattle. The day vvas spent by >ome 
hunting and tishing- ami by ()th<-;rs 
washing clothes. The hunters and 
fishermen were entirely unsuccessful. 
Mr. ( 'ombe wounded a deer late in the 
evening, and in attempting to f(;llo\v 
it got lost. Suspecting that such 
migiit be the case we tired a numljer of 
guns and directed by these ami th- 
campfires, he made his appearand' a- 
mong us again at 8 o'clock in the 
evening 'J'he German company men- 
tioned on the vStli ult.. overtook us 
again today and encamped near us. 



A number of California wagons stop- 
ped here during the day. A number 
of visitors were attracted to our camp 
in the evening' by our music. Our 
lierman friends also gave us another 
specimen of their singing and a gientlo- 
man with one of the parties who 
arrived here today gave us a re-rular 
rake down on the violin, in real back- 
woods style. 

Monday (ith I did not mention in its 
proper place that we struck into what 
is called the Old Mormon trail at 
Keytesville. The road whi-h has been 
juostly through prairie, has been very 
good ever since- We traveled l-") miles 
today and encamped half a mile from 
the main road. Our German friends 
stopped with us again and were very 
kind in furnishing us with some Hour, 
ours having given out. 

Tuesday 7th-V\'e were visited by an- 
other rain storm shortly after we had 
retired to rest last night. Early this 
morning snow commenced falling in 
big flakes and lasted for 2 or '.i hours. 
The weather cleared up again at 11 
o'clock, but we did not move from our 
encampment. After dinner a number 
of us struck oft" in difterent directions 
on a hunting e.xcursion. We met with 
but little success except in the way of 
small game. One of our hunters dis- 
covered a water mill about a mile dis- 
tant wnere we were enabled to pur- 
chase a small quantity of flour. 

Wednesday 8th- When we set out on 
our journey this morning it was in- 
tended to make but a moderate days 
drive; but we found it impossible to 
select a place to graze our cattle til) 
after sun-set; having traveled 17 (jr 18 



miles over a bad road. In passing 
alonjf tiie side of a hijfli rocky bluff, 
the sprinjf wajjon containinff the lady 
passenjfers upset in a mud-hole and 
we had considerable difficulty in plac- 
ing it in an upright position a;^ain. 
Foi tunately for the ladies no bones 
were brol<en and but little damajje was 
done. Passed through Kingston at 4 
p. m. 

Thursday 9th-Infoimation having 
reached us last nighi by a person just 
returned from St. Joseph's of consid- 
eral suffering in that place in conse- 
qnence of a scarcity of feed for cattle 
we determined to leave the main road 
in search of grass and stop for a week. 
We accordingly shaped our course 
due north four miles and encamped 
on Shoal Creek, where we found the 
grazing tolerably good. In passing 
through a heavily timbered piece of 
low ground, covered by a thick un- 
dergrowth of buck-eye now in full leaf, 
in pursuit of game T came upon the 
track of a large bear; the first indica- I 
tions we have had of the presence of 
this animal on the road. I 

Friday lOth-Much dissatisfaction 
has existed in the company for several 
days past in consequence of delay and 
some other minor matters and this 
morning it was so strongly manifested 
that Mr. Swoasy, the leader of the ex- 
pedition called the men together and 
stated the impropriety of moving on 
under the present aspect of affairs at 
St. Josephs iind informed the company 
that it was his intention to proceed 
immediately on horseback to head- 
quarters, where he could judge for 
himself of the expediency of any 
further delay. Good feeling soon pre- 



vailed again after this declaration on 
the part of Mr. Sweasy and he set off 
in the course of an hour, in company 
with Mr. Pullyblank for St. Josephs 
after appointing Mr Lyon to superin- 
tend the affairs of the company in his 
absence. During the 11th, 12th, and 
13th, the time was spent In hunting, 
fishing, repairing wagons, etc. On 
the 14th about noon, Messrs. Sweasy 
and Pullyblank returned with quite 
favorable news and stating also their 
determination to resume the journey 
again on the following da.v. 

Wednesday 15th- We were called up- 
for an early start this morning but 
our cattle had wandered far out in 
the prairie and much time was occu- 
pied in collecting them; consequently 
we did not leave till between eight and 
nine o'clock. We made about 14 miles 
however, mostly through an uneven 
prtirie country with limestone appear- 
ing on the surface in many places. 
We came near losing a number of our 
lady passengers today. They had ac- 
companied Mr. Pullybank, who started 
half an hour ip advance of us with his 
tyams, about a mile, when thoy con- 
cluded to stay and wait for Mr. 
Sweasy 's wagons to come up. But he 
liad taken a different road, having 
heard that it was shorter and better. 
The ladies were consequently left far 
behind both, as we did not learn of 
their absence until we overtook Mr. 
Pullyblank at noon. One of our men 
returned with horses and they came up 
with us again at 2 o'clock. We en- 
camped at a spring this evening on the 
borders of a beautiful prairie. 
Weather clear and oppressively warm 
all dav. 



Thursday IGth- After passing' over a 
prairie six miles wide this morning, 
we reached the town of Plattsbur^, 
where we laid in our supply of flour 
for the Plains. The day was exceed- 
ingly warm and we turned our cattle 
out to prraze and rest on the bank of a 
small brook, four miles from I'latts- 
burifh. It was so late before we ij'ot 
through cookinij our dinner, that we 
encamped here for the niifhtwith l)ut 
a meagre supply of wood and bad 
water. 

Friday ITth-Three miles on our way 
this morning' one of our wagons broke 
dDwn in fording a branch of the Platte 
river and we stopped at a wagon mak- 
er's shop, one mile from the place 
where the accident occurred to have it 
repaired. Our carpenters were engag- 
ed all day in making a new wheel and 
we remained here for the night. Our 
young folks were again favored with 
an empty log cabin, where they amused 
themselves in dancing during the 
evening. 

Saturday ]8th-We crossed the Platte 
river today at 1 o'clock, nine miles 
from our encampment. It was a solid 
rock bottou), the water only coming 
up to the knees of our cattle. The 
Platte is about one hundred yards 
wide at this place. After travelling 7 
miles further, mostly over rough 
rocky bluEfs, with a stunted growth of 
timber, we encamped two miles out in 
a beautiful rolling prairie, four miles 
from St. Josephs. 

Sunday 19th- When the cattle were 
collected this morning, it was discov- 
ered that three of our best oxen were 
missing. All hands immediately start- 



ed in search of them, • but the entire 
day was consumed before they were 
found and we did not leave our en- 
campment. 

Monday 20th-Reached St. Joseph's 
at 9 o'clock this morning, where we 
were detained most of the day in pur- 
chasing provisions. Mr. Bulton and 
lady joined us here, having arrived 
three weeks before us by water. Three 
gentlemen likewise applied to us for a 
pass ige to California and were accept- 
ed. Their names were Moore, Wade, 
and Fever. Crossed the Missouri at 

4 p. m. in a steam ferry-boat and after 
driving five miles through a heavy 
growth of Cottonwood, during which 
night overtook us, we encamped at the 
foot of a high range of blufifs, on the 
bank of a small creek. 

Tuesday 21st- We had the misfortune 
to lose 7 of our cows yesterday in 
passing through St. Josephs, and five 
or six of our party were detained all 
night on the opposite side of the river 
in search of them. After waiting very 
impatiently at our encampment, all 
day, they came up with us again at 

5 o'clock p. ra They had succeeded 
in tinding five and concluded to leave 
the other two behind. 

Wednesday 22nd-Another delay was 
occisioned this morning by disf.over- 
ing that 3 barrels of crackers had been 
left in St Josephs at the store where 
they were purchased. After some lit- 
tle consultation it was decided that 
M: . Sweasy and Lyon should return 
with the two horses and pack them on 
in sacks, and that the wagons should 
start forward immediately. Half a 
mile from our encampment we ascend- 



ed a high prairie bluflf, overlookingr an 
immense extent of country, throug'h 
which we could trace our road wind- 
ing its course among the bluffs far as 
the e.ye could reach. An Indian on a 
fine black pony passed us here at full 
speed, addressing us in his native 
tongue, the purport of which we could 
not of course understand. Crossed 
Mosquito Creek, 13 miles at 2 o'clock 
and encamped in a strip of woodland 
Smiles further on. Mr. Sweasy and 
Lyon did not overtake us till 
dark. They were very much fatigued. 

Thursday 23rd -We arrived at Icfdi- 
ana Agency to-day at 11 o'clock. 
Several white men were settled here 
with excellent farms under a high state 
of cultivation. The wheat, which was 
about knee deep, was the finest look- 
ing crop of the kind I have ever seen. 
I noticed several squaws very neatly 
dressed in the costume of the whites, 
sitting at work in the houses, while 
quite a number of Indian men, in 
their native dresses, were busily en- 
gaged in trading at a store. Here 
commences the so-called great "Amer- 
can Plains." The country which had 
been very much broken during the last 
day's travel, with limestone often ap- 
pearing on the surface, gradually gave 
place to smooth and gently undulating 
hills. When we had left the Agency 
two or three miles an old Indian met 
us from a cross road and presented a 
paper, written in good English, ask- 
ing for a small sum of money as a 
tribute for passing through their terri- 
tory. He received a number of dira'es 
from different members of the com- 
pany and soon left us, apparently 
very well satisfied. We encamped 
without wood, except a little dry hazel 



i and sumach, but had the benefit of a 
i very fine spring of pure, cool water. 

I Friday 24th-After a drive of 12 miles 
j to-day, we turned our cattle out to 
I wattr at a creek a quarter of a mile 
I from the main road. Four miles furth- 
I er on we arrived at Bear Creek, a dir- 
I ty sluggish stream, winding through a 
I strip of timber. Here we were met by 
Mr. PuUyblank. He left us yesterday 
in search of Mr. Dexter, who had 
dropped us a note by a return emi- 
grant, desiring to join our train when 
we came up with him. He was nine 
miles ahead of us and driving slow, to 
give us an opportunity to overtake 
hiiu. According to Mr PuUyblank's 
directions we took in wood and water 
here for the nighl, and after driving 
three miles furtiier encamped. We 
mei a number of emigrants returning 
to-day, discouraged by sickness and 
death in their ranks. Four persons 
out of a company of six had died, and 
the remaining two who were sick had 
hired a couple of young men from an- 
other train to drive them back to St. 
Joseph. 

Saturday 25th-Was a hard day's 
drive, having travelled 25 miles in or- 
der to overtake Mr Dexter's company. 
We were ra'her rash in passing a wa- 
tering place early in the evening and 
came near suffering for our folly. We 
met Mr. Corbin, however, a little after 
sunset, who relieved us from our di- 
lemma. He wa3 from Mr. Dexter's 
company and was on the lookout for 

us. They were encamped on Nemehaw 
Creek, two miles distant, where they 
had been waiting for us to come up. 
We arrived at the place some time af- 
ter dark, fatigued with our hard day's 



travel. 

Sunday 26th-When we arrived at 
our encampment last night it was two 
dark to trace distinctly the surround- 
ing landscape. The scene this morn- 
ing' was beautiful almost beyond des- 
cription. Our wagons were enclosed 
on three sides by high prairie bluffs, 
clothed in a rich carpet of deep grt-en, 
while on the other side a clear stream 
20 or 30 yards in width, went bounding 
over limestone rocks till it was lost to 
view, a hundred yards distant, among 
a luxuriant growth of trees, just burst- 
ing into full foliau-e. Standing on the 
bank of the creek we could see a va- 
riety of fish, some of them ten or 
twelve pounds in weight sporting in 
its water. At twelve o'clock to-day in 
crossing a creek one of our wagon 
wheels slipped its tire and we were de- 
layed till 4 o'clock in repairing it. 
Mr. Dexter's party drove on and en- 
camped three or four miles ahead and 
we did not overtake them till nearly 
dark. 

Monday 27th-We found but an in- 
different supply of water to-day and 
weather beiiig warm and sultry, we 
traveled only about 16 miles when we 
turned off the road to a strip of timber 
a mile distant and encamped. As we 
wei'e now in the neighborliood of the 
Pawnees, it was deemed advisable to 
see that our firearms were in order 
and the greater part of the evening 
was devoted to cleaning guns, mould- 
ing balls, etc. 

Tuesday 28th-Arrived at Big Blue 
river at 10 o'clock a. m. This stream 
favorable at all ordinary times, we 



now found very much swollen. About 
fifty wagons were already collected on 
the bank and several companies were 
occupied in crossing on rudely con- 
structed rafts. We fouad the chance 
of crossing here today hopeless, so 
drove on to a point a mile above and 
commenced constructing a cou|)le of 
canoes, thinking them safer than by 
th6 usual mode. There was a train of 
five wagons at this crossing, who had 
nearly completed a raft and proposed 
to us to join them in ferrying on it, 
which we agreed to do and abandoned 
the building of but one canoe. A part 
of our men finished the canoe during 
the afternoon and the others assisted 
in crossing the five wagons which were 
safely landed on the opposite bank 
d)iring the evening. We were encamp- 
ed in the prairie, half a mile from the 
river and did not commence crossing 
our train lo-day. A number oi Liic 
Pawnees visited the difierent encamp- 
ments and appeared quite friendly. 
One party came in bearing a white 
flag. 

Wednesday 29th-When we launched 
our canoe this morning we found it 
capable of carrying a thousand pounds 
with perfect safety, although the 
stream was very rapid and apparently 
dangerous for so small a craft. We 
commenced placing our provisions 
and clothing in the canoe, while the 
empty wagons were crossed on the 
raft by means of ropes attached to 
each end of it and to the bank. In 
this manner several of our wagons 
and their contents were safely deposit- 
ed on the opposite shore. By some 
mismanagement in placing a wagon on 
the raft, we came very near losing it 
altogether. In pushing off from shore 



'3 



it rolled off back and the hind wbeels 
were completely buried in the water. 
It was rescued from this position how- 
ever, by considerable labor, in which 
several of our men were up to their 
necks in water. Geo. Hamilton. Ira 
Lyon and Wm. Pritchard, were the 
principal sufferers by this unfortu- 
nate accident. They had trusted their 
boxes in this wagon and they were 
completely immersed in the water. 
Mine were also in the wagon but for- 
tunately for me on top, and suffered 
no injury whatever. Two pair of new 
boots and a pair of shoes belonging to 
me sank to thp bottom of the river, 
but were grabbed up by Mr. Bolton. 
All the wagons fourteen in number, 
were finally crossed over and after 
moving up the stream half a mile to 
the prairie we encamped. 

Thursday 30th-Made about 20 miles 
today and encamped a mile from the 
road. 

Friday 31st-Stopped at a creek to- 
day at noon to repair a wagon The 
tire had to be taken off the wheels and 
re-set, which occupied "about two 
hours. We made about our usual 
days drive and encamped at sunset. 
A herd of buffalo, the first seen on our 
route, was observed by a number of 
our party, ascending a bluff in the dis- 
tance. Several antelope were also 
seen, but could not be approached 
within gun shot. 

Saturday June Ist-Several of our 
party set out early this morning, on 
horseback to huHt buffalo. They re- 
turned at ten o'clock, entirely unsuc- 
cesstul. We met a company of dra- 
goons today on their march from Ft. 



Kearney to Fort Leavenworth, having 
a number of baggage wagons in 
charge We encamped on the bank of 
a creek this evening 2 miles from the 
main road. 

Sunday 2nd-Last night we had one 
of the hardest rain storms I ever wit- 
nessed. Our large tent was lifted 
from the ground by the wind and 
everything contained in it completely 
drenched with water. In fact every- 
thing we had was wet more or less; for 
'' the rain came with such force as to 
i beat through the wagon covers. The 
' storm lasted throughout the night. 
The weather cleared up before sun-rise 
' and the air became cool and refresh- 
ing. We were in sight of timber near- 
ly all day yesterday, following the 
course of the creek on which we en- 
camped. We crossed it this morning, 
after following it up the bank a mile. 
At three o'clock p. m. we reached the 
Republican Fork of Blue river and 
after traveling along -its course for 
four or five miles oncampcd. This 
creek is fifteen or twenty yards wide 
with timber growing along its banks 
and at the time we reached it vtM-y 
much swollen with recent rains. 

Monday .3rd-Continued our journey 
up the creek for 4 or 5 miles, when we 
struck off into the plains again over a 
high bluff, the creek here making a 
sweeping bend entirely out of the 
direct course. After traveling over a 
country level as a floor for six miles 
the road bore out towards the creek 
again and finally descended to its 
valley up which we travelled the re- 
mainder of the day, with the timber 
close on our left hand. Since we left 
St. Josephs our guns have been al- 



M 



most useless, for jjame of every des- 
cription has been drivi-n entirely from 
the road by llie immense emi^ittioQ 
this season. Tliis part vi the country 
has been represented as abounding in 
a variety of jfame. A few antelope 
and buffalo have been seen by some 
of our party within the last few days, 
bui for my part I have not seen either 
yet. 

Tuesday 4tii Rain set in at 10 o'- 
clock last night and continueil at in- 
tervals during the greater part of the 
day. We continued our course along 
tije Republican Forlt. At three o'- 
clock we ascended the bluffs and 
struck off into the plains after taking 
a supply of wood and water for the 
night at the creek. When we had 
i-eached un elevation where we could 
take a view of the surrounding coun- 
try we counted over a hundred emi- 
grant wagons in sight. 

Wednesday Sih-The rain continued 
with but little intermission till 12 
o'clock to-day. The road was conse- 
(^uently bad and our progress slow. 
We encamped 7 or 8 miles from the 
Fiatte with the bluffs in sight. We 
procured mushrooms growing along 
the road today, the largest I have ever 
seen; some of them measuring 3 inches 
in diameter and an inch and a half 
thick. The largest were too old for 
cooking but Mr. Beal soon gathered 
a handkerchief full of smaller dimen- 
sions and said to be e.iicelleiit. 

Thursday Gth-Started early and 
reached Ft. Kearney having traveled 
something like 2") miles. Before 
reaching the foot our course was a- 
long the foot of the bluffs in the valley 



I of the Platte for 8 or ten mile. Thia 
part of the road is through low mar- 
shy ground and at the time we passed 
.(uile muddy with the recent rain, 
rhe Fort stands about a mile from the 
river and consists of three large frame 
b.iildings, a number of out houses 
i)iiilt of turf and used as stables, a 
store, postottice and a powder maga- 
zine. A number of tents were pitclied 
in the vicinity for the accommodation 
ot the soldiers. The mail leaves here 
once in two weeks for the States. 

Friday 7th-This morning one of our 
wagons having been found unfit for 
the trip was drove to the Fort and ex: 
I'hanged for a stronger and heavier 
one. The rest of the train proceeded 
on the road and did not stop till din- 
ner time. The new wagon came up at 
2 o'clock. At 4 o'clock we stopped to 
take in wood, which was procured by 
wading the river to an island The 
water was only knee deep but very . 
rapid and muddy. Encamped a niile 
from the river near the bluffs. 

Saturday 8th-We met two wagons 
this morning returing to the States (;n 
account of sicknesc. We also met a 
wagon containing a man who had been 
accidently shot. His friends were le- 
turning with him to the Fort to have 
his wounds dressed. Another train of 
lliree wagons also passed us on theii' 
way back in the afternoon, having had 
four deaths in the com piny. The pre- 
vailing complaint is diarrhoea. Cross- 
ed Plum creek at 5 o'clock and en- 
camped a mile beyond on the Platte. 
One of Mr. Wilsey's party killed an 
antelope today which was divided a- 
mong the company and cooked for 
supper. We found it pi-etty much the 



15 



same as the common doer. 

Sunday 9th-The weather yesterday 
was clear but very sultry. Last nij4lit 
however, the wind shifted round to the 
north and this morning we found o\ n ■ 
coats quite comfortable to travel in. 
We passed a number of emigrants re 
turning on acnount of sic-kness and ^a^v 
many new made graves at dift'eniit 
points along the road. In one place 
we counted three and at anotlier five. 
The disease is said to be cholera. 

Monday 10th Drove about 14 milts 
today and passed 10 new graves: two 
of thera ladies; one aged 57, tlie otlipi- 
37. Weather clear, cool and pleasani 
After tff.kig in wood and water at tKe 
river in the evening we struck out a- 
bout 2 miles to the bluffs and encamp- 
ed at 5 o'clock. Soon after our caralle 
was formed, I was entraged with Mr. 
Mills in removing some wood from 
one of tne wagons, when one of his pis- 
tols was discharged by some misman- 
agement; an accident which came neai' 
being attended with very serious con- 
sequences. Oil e.KUiiiinal.ion we found 
that the ball had passed through one 
corner of our powder-bo.x, con- 
taining ten cannisters, or about 50 lli> 
The muzzle of the pistol could noi 
have been more than three or four 
inches from the box. Had the ball 
passed through one of cannisters at 
so short a distance, there is no calcu- 
lating the amount of damage thnt 
might have been done. 

Tuesday llih We still continued our 
journey up the Platte, parsing during 
the day 15 or i6 graves. I have; no- 
ticed that the bluffs on the left have 
gradually become higher and moie 



rugged as we have proceeded on Our 
journey, till finally at about 95 miles 
from Fort Kearney, accordirkg to a 
guidebook, they appear to have reach- 
ed their highest point. Here we turned 
off to the river, two miles distant on 
our right and encamped. A nimil)er 
of our party a-^cended tlie highest 
pointofthe bluff and described the 
view as very beautiful. 

Wednesday 12-This morning soon 
after striking the main road again, we 
passed a party of horseman paying 
the last funeral rites to one of their 
departed friends. The sad ceremony 
was soon over, and they galloped on 
to overtake their train ahead of u<. 
During the forenoon, a dead buffaU- 
was discovered at the road side, killed 
by a party of hunters in advance of 
us, A large jjortion of flesh had been 
cut off and the remainder was taken 
by our own company. Passed 10 
graves today. Full two-thirds of the 
deaths that have occurred are Mis- 
sourians. Why it is so, it is impossi- 
ble to tell but such is the fact. A 
quarrel occurred in camp this morn- 
ing between Mr. Mills and Mr, 
Sweasy. It originated in a foolish 
dispute concerning the distance be- 
tween our encampment and the Forks 
of the Platte: each having gained in- 
formation from different sources. The 
quarrel on the whole had a very good 
effest: for Mr. Sweasy has of late be- 
come overbearing and insolent to the 
company in general, and towards Mr. 
Mills in particular, and the small 
share of sympathy he gained from 
this little outbreak, served in a mea- 
sure, to show him his true position 
with regard to the company. His 
manner throughout the day underwent 



i6 



a complete change; seldom giving an | 
order but leaving it to the discretion | 
of the company. We arrived at the j 
lower crossing', a few miles above the I 
fork, at 5 o'clock this evening, but j 
finding the ford too deep we encamped 
a few miles above, having concluded , 
to cross at the upper ford 45 miles j 
further on the South Fork. 

Thursday ISth-This morning we 
found the clouds threatening rain. It 
did not come on however, til we had 
proceeded a mile on our way and was 
only a slight shower, which soon 
I'leared up and gave place to bright 
sunshine For the last day or two we 
have had to resort entirely tobufl'aloe 
chips for fuel. It burns very freely 
when dry and answers very well for 
all common purposes of cooking. A 
number of wolves were killed by the 
emigrants today. One passed me with- 
in sixty yards with a horseman in full 
chase. It was killed by Mr. Dexter, 
with a revolver. The graves of 14 
persons were passed today, all of 
whom died of the prevailing complaint 
cholera. We encamped on the bank of 
the river. After supper Mr. Hamilton 
favored us with some music on his 'vi- 
olin and the young folks danced cotil- 
lions in the caralle till a late hour. 

Friday 14th- We had a heavy shower 
of rain, attended with thunder and 
lightning last night There seems to 
be no power of abatement in the num- 
ber of deaths among the emigrants. 
We passed the usual number of graves 
today, as well as several trains en- 
camped on account of sickness. Met 
two mule teams carrying the mail from 
Salt Lake to the States. Encamped 



5 miles from the ford. 

Saturday ir)th-In conseq uence of a 
rise in the river and a scarcity of 
grass near the ford, it was deemed ad- 
visable to send a man ahead to ex- 
amine the crossing previous to start- 
ing thi*; morning. Mr. Sweasy took 
this task upon himself. He returned 
within the course of two hours and 
having reported the ford impassible, 
it was agreed to remain here today 
and look for another crossing. A 
place was discovered three miles be- 
low, where by raising our wagon beds 
a foot on the bolsters we would be 
enabled to cross. The wagons were 
consequently adjusted for the trip dur- 
ing the afternoon and everything put 
in readiness for an early start in the 
morning. Twelve or fourteen wagons 
passed us returning to the states. 
Two were from Salt Lake on their way 
from California. The proprietor of 
the California wagons had met his 
brother-in-law, a few miles above and 
persuaded his whole train, some eight 
or ten wagons in number to return. 



Sunday 16th-After retracing our 
steps three miles down the river at an 
early hour we commenced crossing. 
The river is over a mile wide at this 
point with a current outrunning the 
Missouri or the Mississippi and in its 
nurse over an uneven bottom, boiling 
and eddying until it is completely mix- 
ed with sand thus raised by the motion 
of the water. Into this flood, fearful 
and dangerous to look at, our wagons 
commenced plunging one after another 
the first dive completely immersing 
the axletrees and nearly sweeping the 



17 



drivers off their feet. They all passed 
safely over in the course of two hours 
but not without many apprehensions 
that they would be overturned by the 
immense welgrht of the current pressing 
on them at times when the wheels sunk 
into the inequalities of the bottom. 
On reaching the opposite shore, the 
drivers found the legs of their panta- 
loons literally cut to pieces by the 
sand and force of the water. Encamp- 
ed three miles above our starting 
place. There is but very little variety 
in the scenery along the Platte. The 
valley is probably six miles wide on 
an average, bounded by high bluffs 
with but a scant covering of grass in 
many places, while at others they are 
entirely destitute of vegetation. The 
river itself is so cut up with islands 
that it is difficult to judge the distance 
across. Where a clear view could be 
had, it appeared to be over a mile 
wide. Although it was said to be at 
high water when we passed, yet it was 
seldom deep enough to swim a horse. 
The road runs nearly in a straight 
line, approaching alternately the 
bluffs and river and thus cutting off 
their windings. There is no timber on 
the main land, except at two or three 
points and our fuel was procured by 
wading to tJiO island. In ascendinc 
the Platte to the forks, the bluffs erad- 
ually approach nearer the river and 
become higher and more rugged in 
their character. There is a ford five 
miles up the South fork 

and another 45 miles further on. We 
kept on the south side to the latter. 
The bluffs again recede from the river 
to an average distance of two miles 
after passing tbe lower ford and there 
is no preceptable difference, either in 
the character or size, between the 



south branch and the main river. 
Grass is abundant and afforded fine 
grazing for our cattle. Water is gener- 
ally procured by digging two or three 
feet, but it is often found to be un 
pleasant in flavor and is no doubt the 
main cause of sickness among the emi- 
grants. The river water is probably 
the best for general use. The whole 
valley is cut up with buffaloe trails 
leading from the bluffs to the river 
and their bones may be seen scattered 
in every direction. These animals, 
however, have almost entirely disap- 
peared from the road in consequence 
of the immense emigration within the 
last two years. 

Monday 17th-Our course today was 
nearly due north through the bluffs for 
7 or 8 miles when we intersected the 
road from the upper ford. We reach- 
ed the bluffs leading to Ash Hollow at 
.3 p. m. and after winding our way a- 
long a ridge with high limestone cliffs 
on either hand for two or three miles, 
we descended by a precipitous road 
for two hundred feet, into the Hollow. 
This place takes its name from the 
timber which it produces. Having se- 
cured an excellent supply of fire-wood 
here for the night, we drove a mile 
and encamped on the north fork of 
the Platte, after traveling in all 23 
miles. 

Tuesday 18th-A cold north wind had 
set in during last night and as we pro- 
ceeded on our journey up the river, 
we had to resort to our winter clothing 
again to keep warm. The grass hav- 
ing been fmind short at our stopping 
place last night, we halted at 9 o'clock 
to graze our cattle near an encamp- 



luent of Sioux Indians. A number of 
our party paid them a visit, but tiiey 
did not seem desirous to hold commun- 
ication with white folks and retired to 
their lodges. A few, however, stood 
their ground and seemed to hold the 
prying curiosity of their white vis- 
itors in utter contempt. They were 
about 20 in number, accompanied by 
2 white men, who answered many ques- 
tions respecting the tribe, etc. Dur- 
ing the afternoon we came to an In- 
dian tomb on the road side. li con- 
sisted of four or five poles, about 15 
feet in length, stood up on end in a 
conical form, with ends secured at top 
by a leather thong; while mid-way a 
rude shelf was constructed of sticks 
and raw-hide, on which the body was 
placed, wrapped in a buffalo robe, 
painted with Indian devices. A rough 
board was suspended at the side, stat- 
ing in English that the deceased had 
liver complaint and requesting that 
the body should not be disturbed. 
This afternoon was warm and sultry 
and altogether it has been one of the 
hardest and most disagreeable day's 
travel we have had. This part of the 
road runs along the fool of the bluffs, 
with the river close on the right hand 
and is intersected by deep chasms cut 
into by the rain washing down from 
the bluffs. The dust was intolerable 
and our teams were enveloped in a 
complete cloud of it nearly all day. 
A dark cloud appeared in the north- 
west, soon after we had encamped and 
we had barely got rid of our supper 
things when a storm, such as is only 
known on the plains, burst upon us 
with all its fury. Past experience had 
learned us to secure our tents well to 
the ground; and this time only one out 
of six blew over. 



Wednesday 19th-The face of the 
country today is pretty much the same 
as that of yesterday; except that the 
valley is oftener wider and the graz- 
ing consequently better. There ap- 
pears to be but little abatement in 
sickness. There was a considerable 
decrease in the number of graves on 
the first day's travel from Ash Hollow, 
but today we have passed nineteen 
A difficulty arose among our leaders 
which came near dividing the train. 
Mr Dexter, in consideration of his ex- 
perience on the road, had been unani- 
mously chosen to select encampments 
and stopping places. He was about a 
mile in advance with his wagons, at 
11 o'clock when the rest of the party 
thinking they had drove far enough, 
halted to dinner. This gave offense 
to Mr. Dexter and he ordered a di- 
vision of the herd of cattle, with the 
intention of traveling by himself. The 
difficulty was amicably arranged in the 
evening. 

Thursday 20th- At three o'clock to- 
day we arrived at a creek opposite 
Solitary Tower. Messrs. Beal and 
Bolton visited it and as their des- 
cription corresponds with that of Mr. 
Palmer, I give the following extract: 
"This singular natural object is a 
stupendous pile of sand and clay, so 
cemented as to resemble stone, but 
which crumbles away at the slightest 
touch. I conceive it is about 7 miles 
distant from the moiath of the creek; 
though it appears to be not more than 
three. The height of this tower is 
somewhere between six hundred and 
eight hundred feet from the level of 
the river. Viewed from the road, the 
beholder might easily imagine he was 



19 



gazing upon some ancient structure of 
the old world A nearer approach 
dispels tbe illusion and it looks as it 
is, roug'h and unseemly. It can be as- 
cended, at its north side, by clamber- 
in^up the rock; holes having been cut 
in its face for that purpose. The 
second or main bench can be ascended 
with greater ease at an opening on the 
south side, where the water has wash- 
ed out a crevice large enough to admit 
the body; so that by pushing against 
the sides of the crevice one can force 
himself upward fifteen or twenty feet, 
which places the adventurer on the 
slope of the second bench. Passing 
around the eastern point of the tower, 
the ascent may be continued up the 
north face. A stream of water runs 
along the north-eastern side, some 
twenty rods distant from the tower; 
and deep ravines are cut out by the 
washing of the water from the tower to 
the creek. Nearby stands another j 
pile of materials, similar to that com- 1 
posing the tower, but neither so large i 
nor so high. The bluffs in the vicini- j 
ty appear to be of the same material. ! 
Between this tower and the river ! 
stretches out a rolling plain." We en- 
camped a little beyond Solitary Tower 
and in full view of Chimney Rock. 

Friday 21st-At twelve cf clock today 
we halted opposite Chimney Rock. 
"This," says Mr. Palmer, "is a sharp 
pointed rock of much the same materi- 
al as the Solitary Tow«r, sfjandingati 
the base of the blulT, and four or five 
from the road. It is visible at a dis- 
ance of 30 miles and has the unpoeti- 
cal appearance of a haystack with a 
pole running far above its top." 
This, as Solitary Tower is inscribeil 
with hundreds of names. We en- 



camped about ten miles from Chimney 
Rock, but still in sight of it. 

June, Saturday 22nd-Today at 9 
o'clock a. m. we arrived at Scott's 
Bluffs. The road leaves the river at 
this point by a circuitous route for 30 
miles. We met an Indian trader ^^^e 
with a two horse wagon, who pointed 
out to us an excellent spring, seven or 
eight miles ahead. He also stated 
that there was a regularly established 
trading post three miles to our left, 
where we could see a herd of cattle 
grazing. Having reached the spring 
in the afternooH, we found here an en- 
campment of near a hundred Sioux 
Indians. The village contained 13 
lodges and a row of rudely construct- 
ed huts. Removed from these, per- 
haps three hundred yards, were two 
Frenchmen with their Indian wife and 
children. They were having a dog 
feast Near their camp fire was the 
head of a large mastiff; a bleeding 
evidence of the fact. We procured a 
good supply of wood and clear and 
cool water here and encamped three 
miles further in the bluffs. 

Sunday 23rd-We descended from 
the bluffs to the valley of the Platte 
again at 9 o'clock this morning. 
Crossed Horse Creek near its junction 
with the river at 10 o'clock and en- 
camped ten miles above. 

Monday 24th-After a drive of 18 
miles today, we encamped early in the 
evening within 5 miles of Fort Lar- 
amie. Mr. Bolton had walked on in 
advance of the wagons in the after- 
noon and was not aware for some time 
that we had stopped. He had to re- 
trace his steps for a considerable dis- 



20 



tance and it was with some difficulty 
that he found us late in the eveninjf, 
we having- turned off the road. It 
rained durinjf the nijfht. 

Tuesday 25th-Five miles travel this 
morning over the spurs of the bluffs, 
brought us to Laramie river, a branch 
of the Platte, within a mile of the 
Fort, A number of teams were al- 
ready crossing. The water was very 
rapid and we observed that th'3 wag- 
ons sunk midway up the beds. After 
raising all are damageable goods to i 
the tops of the beds, our train all 
passed safely over in the course of ' 
two hours. A small boat made of a 
wagon bed was plying backward and 
forward just above the ford by a rope 
stretched across the stream and a 
number of us took advantage of this 
accommodation to have our chests 
carried over. Four of us paid a dol- 
lar and a half for one trip, my pas- 
sage included The stream is nbout 
40 yards wide. We stopped at the 
Fort two hours to write and mail let- 
ters, make a few purchases, etc. and 
after a drive of a mile over the spurs 
of the bluffs we again reached the 
Platte. We encamped four miles up 
the river, near a grove of dead ash 
timber, where we procured a supply of 
most excellent fuel. The grove stands 
in a marsh and has no doubt been 
destroyed by fire takiag hold of the 
rank undergrowth of shrubs and 
ifrass during some uncommonly dry 
season 

Wednesday 26th-Mr. Bolton and 
Mr. Axton stopped back at the fort 
yesterday to have their wagons re- 
paired. As they did not reach here 
this morning at the usual time of start- 



ing, it was agreed to remain here dur- 
ingthe day. We accordingly took ad- 
vantage of the delay to bake a stock of 
bread, air our provisions, clothing, 
etc. Our two wagons came up with us 
again at 2 p m. A train of forty 
wagons, Thompson's, stopped about a 
mile above us, late in the evening. 
They drove upwards of 200 head of 
loose cattle. Their herd of cattle in 
all numbered over 500. Tt rained very 
hard during the night and as usual 
the wind came with such force as to 
nearly blow our wagons over. 

Thursday 27tli-Ten miles travel this 
luorning over a rough road, winding 
among high cedar blutfs, brought us 
lo the Warm Spring. This spring 
bursts out at the foot of a bluff, into 
a dry sandy gulley, a quarter of a 
mile lo the right of the road, afford- 
ing an abundant supply of water for 
stock, but it is too warm to be i»ala- 
table. We encamped on Bitter ( ot- 
t'DWood creek, having traveled 18 
miles. 

Friday 28th"C)ur route yesterday af- 
ter leaving the Warm Spring, was 
through the Black Hills. This morn- 
ing we ascended Bitter Cottonwood 
Creek for four or live miles, crossing 
it many times. The creek I presume 
takes its name from the peculiar 
species of tree growing upon its banks. 
It resembles in all respects the com- 
mon Cottonwood of the Western states, 
except in its leaf. The leaf is long 
and pointed and not unlike the white 
ash, but smaller. Fourteen miles 
brought us to Horse Shoe creek, 
where we filled our casks with clear, 
cool water and encamped a mile be- 
yond. 



Saturday 29th--After ascending a 
bluff 200 feet high by a very crooked, 
rough and steep road, we found the 
traveling very good for 2 or 3 miles; 
but during the rest of the day it was 
by far the worst we have had on the 
route. Ascending and descending im- 
mense hills, obstructed by cobble- 
stones, to such an extent as to endang- 
er our wagons at almost every hun- 
dred yards. A drive of twelve miles 
brought us to LeBonte or Big Timber 
creek, where we had contemplated 
stopping for the night. Having found 
the grass short and parched up, we 
endeavored to reach a small creek, 
five miles further on. Here too we 
were disappointed and again kept on 
in hopes of reaching another creek, 
three miles distant. The drive was 
too much for our cattle. Several of 
them fell down with fatigue and had 
to be unyoked. By delay in turning 
the broken^ down cattle out of the 
teams, our wagons ^ot separated. A 
part went on to the creek: but live, 
among which was the one I occupied, 
were compelled to stop. We were 
without water and there was none to be 
procured except by retracing our steps 
a mile and a half to the creek. I ex- 
plored the country in the vicinity of 
our encampment in search of wiiUr. 
It was in vain, iiowever, and I relurn- 
ed to camp, determined to make the 
best of our dry fare, and retire to rest. 
I found my companions in better 
spirits tlian I anticipated. Mr. Wil 
sey had laid in a scant supply of wa- 
ter and furnish.'d the party with sutti- 
cient for tea. A bright tire was blaz- 
ing up when I returnee! and supper 
nearly ready. During the evening it 
was agreed that one of our party 
should return to the creek on horse- 



back in the morning and procure u 
supply of water in our India rubber 
sacks. After crossing Big Timber 
creek, the scenery for four or five 
miles is of the most singular character. 
Our road here was through a narrow 
valley, shut in by immense bluffs on 
either hand. Those on our left cover- 
ed with pine and cedar with a .scant 
growth of herbage, while tliose on our 
right were composed of a deep red 
sandstone, with scarcely a spear of 
grass appearing. The whole valley 
was of a deep red color, producing 
nothing but wild sage and had lliea))- 
pearance of an immense brick-yard. 

Sunday .Wth-We rejoined our 

friends ttiis morning at 9 o'clock after 

traveling four miles. Their fare had 

been no better than our own. They 

were encamped a mile from a spring- 

: and the grazing short and dry. .\ 

quarrel had occurred between. Mr. 

I Spencer and the ladies. They hart 

! from some cause neglected to make 

! coffee for breakfast and hence the ditTi- 

; culty. Miss Combe, whose services 

[ have been invaluable on the journey. 

I had remained with our party. Thf 

I road today has been very good. W( 

' traveled only ten miles, however, ani 

' encamped on LePrele river; a clear 

stream, 30 feet wide and of an aver?.j.'e 

I depth of two feeN A cold wind was 

i blowing all day with such force at 

I times as to nearly lift us off our feet. 

I Monday July Ist-At supper yester- 
' day evening we found that Mr Beal 
; was absent and an inquiry discovered 
that he had not been seen in camp. 
He had been seen to start on ahead of 
the train at the last watering place: 
but further than that, we could not 



n 



22 



learn what had become of him. Two 
miles on our journey this morning-, we 
heard that he had stopped all night 
with another train, within a mile of us 
and had started on ajrain this morn- 
ing. Mr. Otzman and myself had a 
regular quarrel with Mr. Sweasy on 
the road, which arose from our having 
purchased some sugar and hard bread 
which he refused to take into the wag- 
on, under the frivolous pretense of too 
much weight. We encamped at 1 o'- 
clock on LeFourche Boise Creek and 
after dinner Mr. Otzman and Mills 
went in search of Mr. Beal. A num- 
ber of companies clubbed together this 
afternoon and had a shooting match 
for a beef. Our company won three 
quarters. 

Tuesday 2nd-After a drive of four 
miles today over a tolerable good 
road, we again struck the Platte. Two 
miles further on we left the main road 
to find an encampment on Deer Creek. 
Having stopped to dinner, we learned 
from one of our hunters that Messrs. ' 
Fotzman, Mills and Beal were at [the 
regular crossing, waiting for us to 
come up. A person was dispatched 
to direct them to our encampment. 
They came up with us in the evening. 
Heretofore our arrangments have 
been very unsatisfactory with regard 
to the duties of the members of the 
company. After supper a meeting was 
called and this matter satisfactorily 
adjusted by assigning to each person 
a certain share of the work, 

Wednesday 3rd-Considerable delay 
was occasioned this morning in conse- 
quence of some of our cattle having 
strayed. While we were thus detained 



the cry was raised that a bufifalo was 
coming down a blufif near a quarter of 
a mile ofi'. Several of us started in 
pursuit. Two horseman from another 
train also gave it chase and after pur- 
suing it near two miles to the base of 
the mountains, succeeded in killing it. 
It was a large bull and had received 
four shots before it fell. Mr. Jackson 
was in at the death and received a 
share of the meat. Grass is very 
scarce and dry in this region. We 
traveled only nine miles today and 
encamped three miles from the road on 
Crooked Muddy creek, where the feed 
was tolerable good. 

Thursday 4th- Word was given out 
last night to start early in order to 
reach a clear creek ten miles ahead, 
where it was intended to celebrate the 
anniversary of American Indepen- 
dence. We reached the creek at 12 
o'clock, but owing to a scarcity of 
grass were compelled to move four 
miles up the creek. When we had ac- 
complished this distance, over a rough 
road, it was too late to make prepara- 
tions for our frolic and it was conse- 
quently postponed till to-morrow. 

Friday 5th-Our wagons had to un- 
dergo some repairs here and it was 
agreed that while a part of the com. 
pany were engaged in the work the 
rest should proceed to the mountains, 
three miles distant on a hunting ex- 
cursion. I was among the hunters. 
We found the mountain covered with 
a dense growth of pine, cedar and fur 
trees. The ascent was tedious and in 
many places difficult The pine leaves 
afforded a slippery insecure foothold 
and we were often compelled to take 



23 



off our boots. After pulling our- 
selves up by bushes, clambering a- 
mong rocks, which would often give 
way under our feet and go rolling 
with a crash many hundred feet below 
us, we at length reached the summit at 
11 o'clock, having been five hours 
from camp. Here we found a level 
plain of perhaps a hundred acres in 
extent, enclosed on three sides by an 
abrupt barrier of rocks, 20 or 30 feet 
in height. The plain was covered 
with luxuriant grass, strawberries, 
just in bloom, pine, cedar and fur 
trees scattered at intervals over the 
whole space and everything wore the 
appearance of spring. Snow and ice 
were found in situations protected 
from the rays of the sun. A number 
of mountain sheep were seen on the 
cliffs above and below, but none in 
gun-shot. After a fruitless search for 
game and after taking a view of the 
surrounding county, we descended by i 
an easier route and reached our camp 
in two hours. Here we found every- 
thing had been prepared by the ladies 
for our 4th of July dinner. A fat 
calf had been killed by Mr. Pullyblank 
the night before. At three o'clock we 
partook of a dinner seldom excelled 
in the States on such an occasion. • 

Saturday 6th-Early this morning 
we struck through the bluffs for the 
Platte with the intention of crossing at 
12 o'clock but found the river too 
deep to ford. There is a regular ferry 
established two miles above this 
point, but the price of ferriage (5 dol- 
lars a wagon) was a consideration 
with our leaders; and much against 
the will of the company, they preferr- 
ed buying a couple of old wagons beds 
already in use by another train and 



crossing in this manner, by taking our 
wagons in pieces. After much labor, 
we landed ten safely on the opposite 
shore during the afternoon. 

Sunday July 7th-In crossing one of 
our spring wagons, an accident occur- 
red, which came near resulting in seri- 
ous consequences. Owing to its pecu- 
liar construction, we had to leave the 
springs and axle-trees attached to the 
body, making it so heavy as to over- 
load the boat. When about half way 
across the water rolled over the bow 
to such a degree as to sink it and it 
was carried down the stream near two 
miles. Three men were managing the 
boat. Mr. O'Neal and Mr. Faulkner 
held fast to the rope attached to the 
banks and reached shore; while Mr, 
Sweasy was carried down with the 
boat. Fortunately our other boat had 
just discharged its load and immedi- 
ately went to the relief of Mr Sweasy 
and succeeded in bringing him safely 
ashore. After towing the boats up a- 
gain, our ferrying was completed at II 
o'clock without any more accidents. 

Monday 8th-The cattle had been 
placed on an island, a mile above our 
encampment on the first day of our ar- 
rival iiere. This afternoon it was dis- 
covered that 22 were missing, After a 
long and tiresome search by the whole 
party, eleven were brought in near 
sun-set by Mr. Combe. They were 
found in the neighborhood of our last 
encampment. Mr. Williams returned 
with another after dark, having heard 
of the others from an emigant on a 
similar errand. It was too late how- 
ever to go in search of them. 

Tuesday 9th-Early this morning a 



24 



part of the company started out to 
look for the cattle and returned with 
them at noon. A most distressing 
casualty occurred this afternoon 
which has thrown a gloom over our 
whole company. In brinering our cat- 
tle off the island, Wm. Faulkner was 
thrown from his horse and drowned. 
Owing to the rapidity of the current, 
our efforts to save him were unavail- 
ing. An unsuccessful search was made 
for his body; and we left the scene of 
this melancholy accident at 4 o'clock 
p. m.and encamped on the river three 
miles above. 

Wednesday lOth-Another unsuccess- 
ful search was made this morning for 
the body of Wrn. Faulkner. The road 
leaves the Platte altogether at this 
point and passes over the Red Buttes. 
This part of the country is rough, bar- 
ren and sterile; producing nothing but 
wild sage. After traveling ten miles, 
we encamped in a valley with a small 
brook running through it. buit the 
water was not very good. By driving 
the ca'tle a mile from our en- 
campment we found the grazing very 
good. 

Thursday llth-Atthe crossing of the 
Platte, I was seized with the prevail- 
ing sickness and today, as well as a 
part of yesterday, I have been nnable 
to walk. The country is still broken, 
barren and sandy; scarcely producing 
even wild sage. In traveling a dis- 
tance of ten miles, we counted 32 dead 
oxen on the road side; supposed to 
have been poisoned by drinking at an 
alkali pond which we passed yester- 
day. 

Friday 12th-After ten miles travel 



this day over a heavy, sandy and bar- 
ren road, we reached Sweet Water 
river, where we took dinner. Here we 
found the grass very short and as our 
cattle were nearly exhausted by hard 
work and scant feed, we drove off the 
road five miles to the right, where we 
found excellent grass and a good 
spring. 

Saturday 1.3th-A number of our wag- 
on tires having beoome loose, it was 
agreed to remain here today and re- 
pair them. While a part of the com- 
pany were engaged in repairing the 
wagons, others were out in pursuit of 
game. Although quite weak from my 
sickness, I was among the latter. I 
did not go far, however, and returned 
in two hours with a couple of moun- 
tain grouse and a large hare. Others 
came in during the day with a variety 
of small game, sufficient to supply the 
company with one good meal. I did 
not mention yesterday that two of our 
oxen were left six miles back unable 
to travel. Mr. Sweasy and sob re- 
turned for them early this morning. 
One of them was dead; the other could 
not be found. 

Sunday 14th-A man galloped into 
our encampment while we were pre 
paring for a start, requesting a 
charge of powder to shoot a rabbit. 
He was under a great state of excite- 
ment and we refused it. We soon 
learned that he had shot a person in a 
quarrel, wounding him slightly in the 
hip at another encampment, two or 
three hundred yards distant. Five 
miles due south of this we struck the 
main road again at Independence on 
the Sweet Water. This is a solid mass 
of gray granite, 70 or 80 feet high, a 



25 



quarter of a mile in length and may 
be ascended at the north-west point. 
Thousands of names are inscribed 
on the south side; some in 
different colored paints and others 
carved in the rock. A party of us 
had preceded the wagons half an hour 
to view the natural curiosity. We 
amused ourselves in clambering to 
the top of it and in reading the in- 
scriptions till the wagons came up. 
Five miles beyond this we arrived at 
Devil's Gate, where the Sweet Water 
bursts through a spur of the mountain; 
the rocks rising on each side to the 
height of four or five hundred feet. 
The road runs through another gap, 
a considerable distance to the south. 
We encamped on the river; having 
traveled 12 or 13 miles. 

Monday 15th-Ten horses were miss- 
ing this morning. Eight belonging to 
Mr. Dexter and two lo Mr. Sweasy. 
The men were sent out in all directions 
to hunt them. They were brought in 
at 9 o'clock, having wandered to the 
mountains, five miles distant. Not- 
withstanding our late start we drove 
thirteen miles over a heavy, sandy 
road and encamped on the river near 
the Rattlesnake Mountains, aloHg 
which we have been traveling for the 
last two days. These mountains are 
composed of a species of granite, al- 
most entirely destitute of vegetation. 

Tu( Sclav July Kith- As we ascended 
an elevation in the road, a quarter of 
a mile from our last night's encamp- 
ment, we caught the first view of the 
snow-capped Wind liiver Mountains, 
far in the distance We encamped on 
the river again at 12 o'clock still near 
the Rattlesnake Mountains; having 



traveled 13 miles. For the last five 
days grass has been very scarce. A- 
bandoned wagons, dead horses, cattle 
and mules, have marked the track 
over which we pursued our wearisome 
journey and the prospect has been 
gloomy enough. Todav, however, 
we have had less of heavy sandy 
roads and have been fortunate enough 
to procure good grazing for our cat- 
tle. Since we arrived on the Sweet 
Water the nights have been cool, with 
slight frosts. A clearmoonlight night 
followed a warm and sulty day and as 
we clustered around our camp-fires, 
the fatigues, hardships and perplexi- 
ties of the journey were in a measure 
forgotten in recounting the dangers 
and difficulties of the past and build- 
ing up bright hope* of happy days 
yet to come. 

Wednesday 17th-Directly after leav- 
ing our encampment we followed the 
course of the river through a canon 
in the mountain; crossing it three 
times within a mile This is called 
the Narrows. The distance through 
is probably a mile, Granite cliffs 
rise on each side in many places sev- 
eral hundred feet high with an occa- 
sional cedar growing from the crevices 
while the pass is often so contracted 
a.<« to leave barely sufficient room for 
a wagon, between the base of the rocks 
and the river. There is some timber 
in the valley with an undergrowth of 
wild currant and gooseberry bushes. 
Here also may be seen hundreds of 
names inscribed on the rocks of those 
who have gone before us. Seven or 
eight miles from this, the road again 
crosses and leaves the river for 16 
miles. We drove the whole distance 
thi'ough (27i miles) in order to procure 



26 



^rass and water and did not encamp 
till 10 o'clock at night. 

Thursday 18th-Our cattle being 
greatly fatigued with yesterday's long 
drive, we only made 7 miles today. 
After fording the river near our en- 
campment, we passed over a range of 
liigh, barren blufifs, struck the river 
again and following its course for a 
mile, encamped Wild sage is our 
only fuel. This is emphatically a wild 
sage country; producing liUle else. 
The whole atmosphere is scented with 
it; some of it growing to an enormous 
size. At one place we found stalks 5 
or G fei't high and six inches in diame- 
ter. Several trains were encamped 
here .md in the evening a number of 
our neighbors came to chat with us 
and listen to our music. 

Friday 19th-Two miles up Sweet 
Water, brought us to a bluff up which 
we traveled for three miles over the 
roughest road we have had on the 
route. At times we had to pass over 
solid limestone for a considerable dis- 
tance; endangering our wagons at al- 
most every stop by jumping from the 
ledges. Two miles from the summit 
we stopped at cool spring to dinner. 
From the spring we traveled about ten 
miles over a very good road, but 
crooked and rolling and encamped on 
a branch of the Sweet Water. We 
found the grass short and had to 
drive the cattle two miles to better 
feed. A guard of four men was sent 
out to watch them during the night; 
among whom I was placed on the last 
watch. A tent and blankets were car- 
ried to the spot, but the evening was 
clear and pleasant and we used the 
tent for a bed and slept in the open 



air. Wolves were howling around us 
all niglit and we were considerably 
anno yed by musquitoes, 

Saturday 20th-We encamped on 
Sweet Water again today, after trav- 
eling seven or eight miles. 

Sunday 2l9t-A difference of opinion 
with regard to this day's travel, a- 
rose this morning, which led to a di- 
vision of the company. There being 
but little or no grass for twenty-eight 
miles to come, Messrs. Dexter, Wilsey 
and Pullyblank, were for starting at 
3 o'clock p. m. and traveling all night; 
while Mr. Sweasy preferred making 
it in two days. They could not agree 
I and separated as above stated. Two 
I miles up Sweet Water and we crossed 
I it bidding farewell to the last stream 
I flowing homeward. Seven miles from 
this we passed the Twin Mounds and 
took dinner a quarter of a mile be- 
yond. Just as we were starting from 
this place, we were shocked to hear of 
the sudden death of Mrs. Bolton. 
She had been complaining for a day 
or two, but nothing serious was ap- 
prehen^led till eleven o'clock today 
when a physician was consulted, a 
few minutes previous to starting. She 
requested us to travel on, but her life 
terminated as soon as the wagons 
commenced moving. Her disease was 
said to be con.:estioD of the lungs. 
She was carried on to Pacific Springs 
where it was contemplated the funeral 
should take place 

Monday 22nd- The sad funeral cere- 
monies of Mrs. Bolton being over, the 
wagons commenced moving at 9 o'- 
clock this morning. We had a 20 
miles journey before us today over a 



barren, sandy road to Little Sandy, 
where we a.-iived at ten o'clock at 
night. We were disappointed in find- 
ing grass here and our cattle were 
carelled and watched till morning, 
Messrs. Beal, Otzman and Hinkley, 
who had becorao very much dissatisfi- 
ed with Mr. Sweazy, purchased three 
yoke of cattle of another company to- 
day, joined Mr. Bolton in his wagon, 
took their proportion of provisions 
and le't the train. They drove onto 
join Mr. Dexter's train, which had 
passed na in the morQioif. 

Tuesday 23rt] -We were up al .3 o'- 
clock this morning and drove six 
miles to Big Sandy, where we found 
excellent grass by driving down the 
stream 4 miles and encamped. We 
are now six miles on the Soublett's 
Cat-off and as there is no water and 
but little grass for 40 miles to come, 
we intend driving it throngh without 
stopping. 

I 
Wednesday 24th-In exploring the j 
creek some of our men discovered I 
better grass a mile bolow and our cat- 1 
tie were drivei-. to it. All hands start- \ 
ed down the creek early lliis morning i 
to cut grass for a feed through tl e j 
Cut-off. I took my gun and had the i 
good luck to kill four sage hens and a 
large hare, with which J returned to 
camp in time to have them cooked for 
dinner. Gooseberries were growing 
in great quantities along the banks of 
the creek, of which the ladies made us 
some excellent pies. These, with the 
game, made us one of the best meals 
we ha\e had on the road. The cattle 
were brought in at 1 o'clock p. m., and 
we started at 5 driving all night. Tt 
was a beautiful raoonlisi'lit night and 



for the first2o miles, one of the best 
natural roads T have ever seen, being 
firm and level as a floor. 

July, Thursday 25th-Stopped to 
breakfast at 4 o'clock in a deep ra- 
vine, having made about thirty miles. 
From this point the road runs over a 
succession of high hills, many of them 
somewhat tiresome and difficult to 
pass till it reached Green river. We 
arrived at Green river at 4 o'clock p 
m , having been 25 hours out. The 
cattle were forded over and drove 
four miles above to graze. The wag- 
ons were left to be ferried over in the 
morning. There is a regularly estab- 
lished ferry h*>re. I he charge for 
crossing a wagon is five dollais. At 
one time this morning we were nearly 
encircled by snow covered mountains. 

Friday 26th-After ferrying the wag- 
ons this morning I went with a party 
of four others to relieve the cattle 
watch, who had been out all night. 
We carried our guns and fishing tac- 
kle with us. Two fine trout were taken 
from a clear creek running near our 
camp, which we had for supper. Mr. 
Dexter, who had passed us at Big 
Sandy, was also encamped at the 
ferry and the cattle of the two trains 
were herded together as usual. 

Saturday 27th-We commenced driv- 
ing the cattle to camp at sunrise, but 
did not get in till ten o'clock, owing 
lo the difficulty of taking them through 
a dense grove of willows for a quarter 
of a mile, where we frequently lost 
.sight of them altogether. The road 
from thi.s place continues down the 
river two miles and »hen strikes into 



the mountains again to the right Af- 
ter winding about in every direction 
for a distance, variously s'ated at 
from six to nine miles in which we of- 
ten caught sight of the river from the 
mountain peaks, we reached a clear 
and rapid creek up which we traveled 
two miles and encamped. In passing 
out to the mountains from Green river 
we met a party of Snake Indians, 
twenty in number, all on horseback 
who were very friendly, shaking hands 
with us and offering to barter us 
deer skins iind moccasins. 

Sunday 28th -Left our encampment 
early and traveled about twenty miles 
Fifteen miles on the road we came up- 
on an encampment of Shoshone or 
Snake Indians, at least 500 in number, 
all well armed and mounted. As they 
caught sight of us descending a high 
blutf, they galloped towards lis in 
"iieat numbers and nearly surrounded 
our wagons. They were very friendly 
shaking hands as usual and offering 
to "swop" dressed deer skins and 
luoccasins for a variety of goods in 
our possession. The articles most in 
de?nand were powder, lead, shot, per- 
cussion caps, tobacco, sugar, clothing 
and what is most singular, umdrellas. 
This latter article appears to be worn 
more for ornament than use; for we 
noticed one fellow yesterday place his 
under his blanket at the commence- 
ment of a slight shower. Bargains 
could be readily had for anything they 
wanted. A quarter of a pound of 
powder was sold for a dollar in 
money. Two boxes of percussion 
cups would procure a large dressed 
deer skin etc. I purchased a good 
oair of moccasins for 5 cents worth of 
tobacco and was otfered two pair more 



for an old vest I had on, that ought 
to have been thrown away a month 
ago; but the evening was cold and I 
was too fur behind my wagon to part 
with it. The favorite mode of wearing 
a vest appears to be with the buttons 
behind. They are reaping a rich har- 
vest (at least they think ?o) in picking 
up the old cast-off garments of the 
emigrants. We encamped at a spring, 
in a small valley with a high bluff on 
our right. This bluff is an immense 
oyster bed, the whole of the summit 
being covered with fossils of this des- 
cription of a large size; some of them 
measuring nine inches in length. 

Monday 29th-Soon after leaving our 
encampment we commenced crossing 
and ascending a succession of bluffs 
for a distance of five miles, till we 
reached the base of a mountain, full 
500 feet in height and most difficult to 
pass, being very steep, and ihe road 
so constructed with cobble-stones and 
broken fragments of rock, as to en- 
danger our wagons continually. Up 
this rough passage our cattle hud to 
toil for half an hour, till "we arrived 
at the summit, when we immediately 
commenced descending again and af- 
ter a drive of two and a half miles, ar- 
rived at Ham's Fork of Green river. 
a bold clear streani, 30 yards wide, 
where we encamped with an abundant 
supply of grass. We met another 
party of Shoshone Indians here, with 
whom we soon struck up a brisk trade 
for deer skins and mocasins. They 
were accompanied by a Canadian half 
breed, who spoke good Englisli and 
gave us some valuable information 
concerning the road for 200 miles a- 
liead of us. He was a crippleby a 
fall from a horse and drawn on a kind 



29 



of sledge driven by a squaw. He be- 
longed to a trading post two miles be- 
low on the river. 

Tuesday 30th-This morning the 
ground was covered with a white frost 
and ice formed in our buckets a quart- 
er of an inch thick. After passing 
up the side of a steep mountain, by a 
road even worse than that of yester- 
day, our ascent was gradual for nine 
miles, when it became more abrupt, 
till we finally reached the summit, 12 
miles from our last encampment 
From the top of this mountain, we had 
a most delightful view of the surround- 
ing country. For many acres in ex- 
tent, the ground was covered with a 
rich carpet of wild flowers of every 
color and many of them common in 
the Western States A dense grove 
of fir and aspen trees, through which 
our road had just passed, bounded 
our view on the east, while all around 
and nearly on a level with where wl' 
stood, snow banks weie piled in the 
mountain gorges. Bear i-iver, its 
banks fringed with willows, could be 
traced in the distance, while on all 
sides, far as the eye could penetrate, 
barren and rugged mountain peaks 
formed the horizon. From this point 
the road descends again for tliiee 
miles, by a circuitous route, till it 
reaches a small cri^ck, where we en- 
camped, 

Wednesday 31st-This morning we 
passed over the last ridge separating 
us from Bear River, The descent of 
this ridga is probably the worst on 
this chain of mountains; the road be- 
ing crooked, steep and much obstruct- 
ed by jutting rocks. The distance 
from the summit to the base is pro- 
bably a mile, but there is only a hun- 



dred yards of very bad road; the rest 
is cnmparalively good. From this 
to Bear river valley, the road is ex- 
cellent. Having stuck to the valley 
at 2 o'clock, we tra\eled down the 
course of the five miles and encamped 
on Smith's Fork; a clear stream 30 or 
40 yards wide, coming in irom the east. 

Thursday August Ist-Ten miles on 
our road today we came to Bear river 
for the first time. Here we took din- 
ner and turned our cattle out to graze. 
At this point it is a dirty sluggish 
stream, unlike any other on the route- 
It makes a sudden angle here fi-ora 
north to west, leaving the road, which 
passes up the valley due north miles 
to Thomas Fork. Before accomplish- 
ing this six miles, however, the road 
makes a gradual turn to the left to a- 
void a marsh and takes a west course 
for some distance to the Fork. We 
encamped a little below the ford, where 
we had fine sport in fishing. The cat- 
tle were crossed to a small island, 
where they had an abundance of feed 
for the night. 

Friday 2nd-The road crosses the 
creek here, runs down it for a mile 
and then bears off in a west course, 
for 7 miles through a chain of hills, 
separating Thomas Fork and Hear 
River. From the top of one of these 
hills we had a fine view of Bear Lake 
on our left. A high range of snow- 
capped mountains borders the valley 
in the same direction. In this 7 miles 
there are three very bad hills to pass; 
one ascending and two descending. 
The one descending to Bear river val- 
ley is probably the worst this side of 
the Sierra Nevada. Four miles frOra 
this we struck Big Timber on Bear 



30 



river. Here we took dinner. In driv- 
intf our cattle to water one yoke swam 
across. Mr. Moore, a Canadian by 
birth, in attempting to swim after them 
came near loosing his life. He was 
carried down the stream by the force 
of the current for a considerable dis- 
tance to a steep bank on the same side 
from whence he started, where by 
great exertion he managed to hold on 
till Mr. Mills ran to his assistance. 
He was taken from the water nearly 
exhausted. Like a true hero, how- 
ever, he started in again at a more 
favorable point and succeeded this 
time in bringing the cattle back. 
From this point we traveled down the 
river six miles to Spring Branch and 
encamped 

Saturday 3rd- We traveled about 20 
miles today. Eleven miles on our 
road we took dinner at a cool spring 
rising from the centre of a 
marsh to the left of the road. After 
this the road leaves the valley and 
passes over achain of bluffs to Loda 
Springs. After traveling seven miles, 
we turned from the road 2 miles, 
struck the river again and encamped. 
Here we found a great abundance of 
wild currants. There were three vari- 
eties; red, yellow and black, all differ- 
ing materially from the common gard- 
en currant. 

Sunday 4th-Today at 1 o'clock p. 
m., we arrived at Soda Springs, the 
greatest natural curiosity on the 
route, or perhaps in the world. I 
shall not attempt a description of them 
here, but refer the reader to Fremont 
and others who have visited this won- 
derful place. After two hours spent in 
examining the Springs, we moved on 



down Bear river m a south west 
course for 5 miles to the forks of the 
road; the Fort Hall road turning to 
the right and Myer's or Headgpeth's 
Cut-off to the left. We took the Cut- 
off • Our road from the springs has 
been through a volcanic region; and 
I soon after turning from the river into 
. the Cut-off and for ten miles on, the 
' whole valley is marked by yawning 
chasms and burnt and blackened 
mas.ses of rock and cinders. A large 
crater was seen three miles distant to 
I the right. Two of our party visited 
I this place and stated it to be 300 
yards in diameter and 60 feet deep, 
I We made a mistake in not filling our 
, water kegs at the river, for with all 
' our exertions in examing the ravines 
I and by sending a man ahead on a 
' mule to a chain of mountains over 
which our road was to pass, we were 
I compelled to stop at nine o'clock at 
night, without a drop of water either 
for man or beast. We were fortunate 
; in having cows along, as they furnish- 
I ed milk for supper. The grass along 
j the road for ten miles after leaving the 
I river, is as good as I Jiave seen on the 
whole route and there is no difficulty 
to be encountered here, provided the 
precaution is taken to water the teams 
\ at the river and carry water along for 
supper and breakfast. 



Monday 5th- At daylight the cattle 
were yoked and a party of five started 
in advance to look for water. When 
about four miles on, we discovered a 
notice, stuck on a stick, by the road- 
side, stating that it was four- 
teen miles to water. We were 
soon relieved from the disagree" 
able reflections occasioned by this 
piece of intelligency by meeting with 



31 



Mr. Moore. He had been in advance 
of us 2 miles on horseback aid had 
discoveredjwater. From the op of a 
hill, two hundred yards from where we 
stood, we first caught sight of the 
waters of a clear mountain stream, 
sparkling up at different points among 
the willows fringing its banks. Our 
road crossed the creek at the nearest 
point and we were not long in reaching 
the spot. It is hardly necessary to 
state that we did ample justice to ft 
warm breakfast, served up without de- 
lay, on the banks of this delightful 
mountain stream. Two newly made 
graves were on the bank of this creek. 
One I shall note down; thaj; of John 
Dennis of St. Louis, Mo., who, it was 
stated on his tomb, had died on the 
29th of June, having been left here a- 
lone by his company and requesting 
that his family should be informed of 
the circumstances. As an act of hu- 
manity another company had attended 
him in his sickness and buried him on 
this spot. Our course from here was 
up a mountain for a mile by a very 
good road. From the top of this 
mountain looking to the west down a 
ravine by which the road descends, 
the scenery is grand and beautiful al- 
most beyond description. A painter 
traveling to California should not fail 
to visit this spot. Here he will find a 
scope for his genius that will repay 
him for a trip across the plains. Here 
he will find every variety of coloring 
within the power of the imagination 
to conceive. From the dark and 
blackened mass of rock, torn up and 
thrown in every variety of shape by 
volcanic action, to the pure white 
of snow-covered mountains. From 
the sombre colored cedar, filling up 
the ravines and dotting the hill sides 



to the luxuriant green carpeting the 
gentler acclivities. While in ever^ 
direction, wild flowers and decaying 
plants that have had their season, 
will meet his view and give to the 
whole the many colored tints of the 
rainbow. To the painter this spoi 
will possess a charm seldom equalled 
in the world. But to the mere 
business visitor all interest is 
merged in the difficulty of the moun- 
tain pass; for it is one of the worst 
wagon roads I have ever seen. For 
two or three miles down a deep and 
dark ravine it goes winding its course 
to a clear mountnin stream; sometimes 
climbing hill-sides to avoid deep ruts 
worn by a rivulet, having its source 
mid-way up the mountain; at others 
descending to the bed of the rivulet, 
where it is often so obstructed by 
jutting rocks as to endanger at almost 
every step the safety of the wagons. 
At the outlet of this ravine and within 
view of the creek to the left, is an im 
mense pile of dark volcanic rock, 
thrown up full three hundred feet in 
height, in the crevices of which hun- 
dreds of ravens and magpies were 
perched, 'croaking and chattering at us 
as we passed. Our wa^rons oil camo 
safely through and we drove to the 
creek and encamped. Here we hatl 
an abundance of grass, wood and 
water. The distance from the last 
creek is probably four miles. 
We traveled in all, ten miles. 

Tuesday August 6th-This day we 
traveled 12. Three miles over a roll- 
ing country brought us to the creek a- 
gain on which encamped again last 
night. At this place it is wide and 
deep, having received a number of 
tributaries in its winding course. Just 



32 



below here in a thick grove of willows, 
the water spreads out for a hundred 
yards and takes a leap down the rocks 
forming- a cascade, the roarinjjf of 
which may be heard two railes distant, 
Here the road leaves the creek. Seven 
miles further on, we reached a large 
pond covered with a rank growth of 
bull-rushes and a tall species of grass. 
There is a good spring Kerc in the 
bank of a pond and a deep sluggish 
creek 20 feet wide, running in a north 
course on the opposite side. We con- 
tinued on to the south for two miles 
to where the creek is full of rushes 
and encamped. The water of the 
stream is rather unpalatable, owing to 
the dead grass and rushes through 
which it passes. There was a great 
number of wild ducks and geese found 
here, but as my health would not per- 
mit me to expose myself in wading in 
mud and water, T did not attempt to 
hunt them. Mr. Moore started in pur- 
suit of them as soon as we encamped 
and stayed out to such a late hour 
tliat we became alarmed about him. 
He came in at 9 o'clock at night with 
a dozen ducks, principally blue wing- 
ed teal. Mr. Fewer also killed four 
or five near our caraHe and we had an 
abundance for one good meal. Our 
only fuel here was wild sage. 

Wednesday 7th-Leaving the creek, 
nur ascent was gradual to the top of a 
mountain 9 miles distant. Descending 
this ridge half a mile from the summit 
is an excellent spring, a little to the 
left of the road. A little below this, 
where the water leaps down a rock 
six or eight feet, some traveler before j 
as had amused himself in arranging ' 
i small water wheel, which was in ac- ' 
;ive operation as we passed. A mile 



I further on at the foot of the ridge, is a 
j small creek. We had the misfortune 
j to lose one of our oxen here. It drop- 
[ ped dead in the yoke, 20 yards from 
the creek. Half a mile from here is 
another small creek, where we encamp- 
ed. Both these streams run to the 
south and no doubt emjjty into the 
one we left this morning. We met a 
small company of traders here from 
Salt Lake and bound for Fort Hall by 
a blind trail turning to the right 
The Salt Lake road enters the Cut-olf 
road 15 miles ahead. It is 30 railes 
from this point to Fort Hall and 150 
to Salt Lake. There was a great num- 
ber of dead cattle and horses in this 
small valley, many of them in the 
creek and we had to go up the stream 
half a mile to procure water fit for use. 
For days-yes, I may say for weeks the 
road has been strewn with the dead 
carcases of these poor animals. 

Thursday 8th-After ascending a 
ridge for 2 miles today, the road was 
principally descending over a rolling 
country for 7 miles to a creek Here 
we took dinner and were visited by a 
party of Shoshone Indians. One mile 
from this and we had an excellent road 
for six railes, gradually descending 
to another clear creek, where we en- 
camped. Another paity of Indians, 
20 in number, met us here, and annoy- 
ed us considerably till after dark in 
begging for food. After our supper 
was over we gave them a pot of mush, 
sorae bacon gravy and a few biscuit, 
which they ate voraciously and went 
away apparently very well satisfied 
with their fare. They had been so im- 
pudent in their demands, that we 
deemed it expedient to make some show 
of resistance and our guns were all 



33 



brought out and loaded in their pre- i 
sence. A double «(uard was set but 
we heard no luore of them during the 
nijfht. Tlie Salt Lake road takes 
down tln.s valley and tlie Cut-off bears j 
more to the west over a ran!,''e ' of 
mountains. i 

I 

Friday 9th-Ei{^ht miles this morning ; 
over a gradually ascending road, six 
miles of which is so closely hemmed in j 
on either side as to render it almost ' 
impossible for a wagon to deviate 
from the beaten road a rod, brought 
us to the top of another mountain 
ridge. This hill though not one of the 
most dangerous we have passed, is 
certainly the most tiresome one on 
cattle I have seen. The road which 
is very hard, is covered with rock 
broken iato small pieces, rendering 
the footing insecure, is very steep and 
about a mile from top to bottom. Af- 
ter this for nine miles the road is ex- 
cellent. Three miles gradually des- 
cending and the rest a perfect level. 
Three miles from the foot of the hill 
we passed down a broad, dry valley 
for tj miles to a spring on the side of a 
hill, one mile to the left, the place be- 
ing indicated by trails starting out at 
dififerent points from the main road. 
We encamped at this place There is 
no water between this and the creek we 
left this morning; a distance of eigh- 
teen miles. By damming up the rivu- 
let, we procured water enough for 
our cattle. 

Saturday lOth-For eight miles this 
morning our route was over a rolling 
country to a creek. There was also 
two springs of clear, cool water here. 
Immediately after leaving the creek, 
we commenced ascending a high ridge 



of the mountains, which continued for 
four miles, when we struck into a pass 
where the road was nearly level for 5 
miles. Two miles in this pass we 
found a cool spring, up a ravine a 
little to the left of the road. We stop- 
ped for supper five miles within the 
pass; and as we had been unsuccessful 
in finding grazing for the cattle, we 
determined to travel for a few hours 
in the night in hopes that we would 
soon come to a creek. With this un- 
derstaDding, Mr. Sw»a8y, Pritohard 
and myself, started in advance to 
choose a favorable i)lace for an en- 
campment. We traveled six mihs 
and seeing no termination to the ])ass, 
concluded to wait till the wagons came 
up. Having remained here for iialf an 
hour and hearing no sound of their 
approach, we retraced our steps fo, 
4 miles and found our friends all a- 
sleep and the cattle tied up. On ac- 
count of the darkness of the night 
they had advanced only two miles 
after we loft tln-iii. 

Sunday lllli VVefontinued on doi\'n 
the pass for live miles this inornini;\ 
where we found a scant supply of grass 
and halted for bri?i?kfast on a rivulet 
heading a little above us in the moun- 
tains. At 12 o'clock we were again on 
the road and after traveling .{ miles 
down the rivulet. which we crossed 
several times, wo arrived at the moutli 
of the pass. The distance through 1 
have set down at fifteen miles. In 
this distance there are several good 
springs. There is also some grass and 
the first emigrants would experience 
no difficulty in this respect. The 
greatest objection to traveling a place 
like this is i)erhaps the dust. This al- 
though seldom si)oken of, has been a 
perpetual source of annoyance for the 



34 



last 500 miles. The soil is of a light 
volcanic character, and the least 
breeze or the trainping- of the cattle, is 
sufficient to raise it in such clouds as 
to envelope a whole train to such an 
extent as to render it difficult to distin- 
guish the wagons at a few yards dis- 
tant. Sometimes too, a whirlwind will 
come sweeping up a ravine, carrying 
the dust spirally mountain high 
and almost smothering teams and 
teamsters in its passage. In this pass 
may be seen again, some of those 
beautiful mountain views I have re- 
marked in other places. As I was 
considerably ahead of the train and 
out of the dust, I had a fair oppor- 
tunity of observing tiieuj. From the 
mouth of the pass we traveled 12 miles 
to a creek, the head waters of Raft 
Kiver and encamped. During the af- 
ternoon we had a I'efreshing shower. 
The road for the last 30 miles with the 
exception of two or three crossings of 
small creeks has been equal to a 
turnpike. 

Monday 12ih-We did not move to- 
.lay, till 12 o'clock and traveled only 
six miles to another branch of Raft 
river, where we encamped. Here ends 
Myers' Cut-off; the Fort Hall road 
toming i.i on the west side of the 
<',reek, Tae distance through I have 
stated at 125 mile.^. The distance by 
Fort Hall is said to be 145 miles; so 
that there is only 20 miles saved in 
taking the cu'.-ofT. I would alvise 
emigrants in making choice of the two 
routes to choose, if possible, the one 
least traveled. The Cut-off is un- 
doubtedly the sliorteit but the Fort 
ilull route has the preference as a 
wagon road. Grass is abundant and 
wutei may be procured at couven- 



I lent distances on either route. 

Tuesd y 13 We traveled 13 niilfs to- 
' day. For six miles the road fellows 
up the c mrse of the creek, where it 
crosses and bears off due south to 
avoid a spur of the mountain. Be- 
yond thi«i, within seven miles, are two 
very good springs, to the right of the 
road: the first near a mile off, the lat- 
ter at which we encamped a quarter of 
a miic. 

Wednesday lUh-We started oarly 
this morning and traveling 8 mihfs, in 
wiiicli wo ciossel several small creeks, 
we arrived at the base of a lofty 
mountain, covered with pine and <-3dar, 
where the road takes a west course 
through a deep gorge, called Pyramid 
Valley, displaying to the traveler 
scenery of the mo-t wild and rnpiestie 
character. Three miles withiii the 
gorge, an immense granite boulder re- 
sembling in the distance some old 
dilapidated castle and on which hun- 
dreds of names are inscribed, risus up 
full a hundred feet in height, in the 
shade of wh'ch we halted for our mid- 
, lay meal. A clear mountain livulet 
•vas coursing its way down a ravine a 
few yards distant. Leaving tjiis place 
we traveled eleven miles to a spiing on 
the s.de of a mountain, where ws en- 
camped havinjf traveled 22 miles. 
During the afternoon we had a heavy 
shower of rain. 

Thursday 16ih It was niae o'clock 
this mornicg before we were on the 
road again. Notwithstanding our 
late start, however, we made eighteen 
miles. Twelve miles brought us to a 
place where the road and a brauch of 
the river passes through a carou in 



35 



the mountain for 4 miles. This pass 
at many points is so compressed tliat 
tliete is barely room for a road and 
.•o encumbered with frajjpents of rock, 
whicli ims rolled down the mountain, 
as to render it difficult for a wagon to 
pass. The height of the mountain 
'rom ll>e bed of the creek, is probably 
iOO feet. On the lefc in many places, 
.he walls of the canon are perpendicu- 
la'-, while < n thi right they are more 
slopic'r and all composed of a dark 
Itasaltic rock. We encamped two 
Diilesbeyond tliecanon and a mile to 
the right of the main road. 

Saturday 17ih-A distressing acci- I 
dent occurred on the road this after* 
aoon. Riehtud Sweasy, a b<jy ten 
years old, fell from a wagon and one 
of the wheels passed over his head. 
At tirst it was thought he was billed 
but he revived in a few seconds and 
liis wound having been examined arid 
Pressed, hopes are entertained that he 
,vill survive. A frightful gash was 
cut the whole length of his cheel and 
iiis ear nearly severed in the middle. 
After traveling eleven miles this 
morn ng, we arrived at the Valley of 
rii(; Thousand Springs. At ilio en- 
trance of the valley the water bursts 
from under a high rock in a nun.ber ol 
springs, forming a considerable 
3'reara. A notice was jwsted up here 
warning emigrants to bo prepared for 
the Indians, wjio wer* committing de- 
predations along the road. The i)arty 
who had po'ilcd the notice had lost 12 
Of 14 head of caitle and horses at this 
3P'Mi';4' Onrarn? were immediately 
got in readiness and at night a strong 
guard placed over the cattle. That 
part of the road pissed over in the 
morning was hilly, barren and deso- 



late; ihe only production of the soil 
being wild sage with an occasional 
stunted cedar. The whole country 
around had a dark and dismal appear- 
ance. We traveled 13 miles down the 
valley of the Thousand Springs dur- 
ing the afternoon; making in all 24 
miles. We encamped in a valle/ with 
a tolerable supply of grass but no 
water. We had barely a suilicient 
supply (>f water for tea in our casks, 
with a jxospict of no coffee for break- 
fast,. Som3 t>\enty wagons, besides 
a number of i)ackers were encamped 
in thd spico of half a mile, in this 
valley, so we had nothing to fear from 
an attack by tin Indians. In the even- 
ing, a gentleman paid us a visit from 
a neighboring wagon. He informed 
us that his party had procured water 
by digging and invited us to come 
over and partake of it; an invitation 
which we readily accepted 

Sunday 18th Our road this morning 
was up the valley in which we had en 
camped. Ten miles brought uf to a 
large spring, on the side of a marsh, 
where we encamped, at 12 o'clock to 
feed and rest our cattle Several 
trains were stopping here and gave 
us alarming accounts of the Indians 
One compan} had just left with an ox 
that had been shot and badly wound- 
ed. Three arrows were found sticking 
in his side and a bullet hole through 
his nose The offense was cocmitted 
in bioad d tylight, but the perpetra- 
tors were not seen. Six Indians were 
seen lurking in the wild sage, near our 
encampm:;nt during the afternoon by 
some packers who stopped near us. 
A small company of emigrants came in 
laH in the evening and encamped near 
us. While in conversation with us 



36 



thay m 'Dt'ODed havinff found tho body 
of a dro-vned man on the North Platte, 
on the 13lh ult. From the description 
{(iven of his personal appearance, 
dress, etc., there is no doubt tliat it 
was the body of Win. Faulkner. Tfe 
was discovered floating down the riv- 
er thr^e miles below where he was 
drowned and bavins' drifted on the 
beach, was taken from the water and 
buried by them. 

Monday August 19lh-A vigilant 
guard had been placed over the cattle, 
but nothing transpired last night, de- 
noting the presence of Indians in our 
vicinity. I wa'^ on watch from 10 till 
1 o'clock. It was a clear moonlight 
night; the cattle had eaten their fill 
and were reposing in the valley, in 
the space of 2 acres; and no sound 
was heard to break the perfect still 
ness of the night save the low tinkling 
of the cow-bells or the occasional 
mournful howling of some hungry 
wolf. We started our teams at the 
usual time in the morning and travel- 
ed eight miles up the valley to the 
boiling springs, where we took dinner. 
There are a jireat nuinbe" of these 
springs, forming quite a large creek 
and so hot that the hand cannot be 
held in them a second. Ten miles 
fi'ora this we arrived at the head of the 
valley, where there is a large spring 
of excellent water, forming a creek 
which we had been following up for 3 
or 4 miles. Here we ex peeled to find 
grass, but were disappointed and con- 
tinued on over the dividing ridge to 
Canon Creek, ten miles further, where 
we encamped at 10 o'clock at night, 
with a good supply of feed and water, 
having traveled 28 miles. Canon 
Creek is a tributary of Humboldt riv- 



er. The soil here is very rich and tlie 
whole valley is covered with a luxur- 
iant growth of grass and wild rye. 
Tin- night was cold; a tin cup filled 
with water fri)ze solid to the bottom. 

Tuesday 20th -Two miles down the 
creek brought us to another canon and 
one of the toughest and most trying 
places on wagons I have s-een, The 
canon is five miles through; the road 
crossing the creek nine times. Three 
miles within the canon are a number 
oi boiling springs bursting from the 
base of the mountain immediately into 
the creek, rendering the water unfit for 
use for several miles below. We were 
put to some inconvenience in this re- 
spect at dinner time by not taking 
water above. We encamped on the 
creek, five miles below the canon, hav- 
ing made 12 miles. We have seen no 
Indians yet, although we have daily 
reports of their depredations along the 
road. 



Wednesday 21st At three o'clock p. 
ni. we reached the first crossing of 
Humboldt river, after traveling 15 
miles. It is not over twenty feet wide 
here and quite shallow. While at 
diiin!:r-, four pack horsf^s tonk a stam- 
pede two miles above us and came 
down the road at full speed, with 
camp kettles, cofifee pots and frying 
pans fiying and making a noise simi- 
lar to a well got up cheravarie. They 
broke in among our cattle just as we 
were herding them for a start, knock- 
ing three of them down in their mad 
career and horses and cattle falling in 
a heap This brought them to a sud- 
den halt, till we secured them for their 
owners, who soon arrived in pursuit 



37 



of them. Fortunately no damage was 
done. We encamped on the river five 
miles below the crossing. 

Thursday 22nd-Indian signals were 
heard during the night; and as we 
proceeded on our journey this morn- 
ing, we met a party of 12 on horse- 
back, three miles below. They made 
great professions of friendship, but we 
doubted their sincerity and kept them 
at a distance. Mr. Fewer had follow- 
ed down the stream on a hunting ex- 
cursion; he was intercepted by this 
same band and had some difficulty in 
getting rid of them; one laying hold 
of his powder horn with a determina- 
tion to take possession of it. They 
desisted only, when he gave them to 
understand that he would defend him- 
self. When we stopped to dinner 
three more visited our wagons. They 
had been fishing; were entirely unarm- 
ed and behaved very mildly. We pur- 
chased some very fine trout from them; 
gave them a share of our dinner, pre- 
sented them with fish-hooks and they 
left us highly delighted with their fare: 
giving us to understand tis they part- 
ed company, that they were "Uig- 
gers." One of them asked for tobac- 
co and being presented with a good 
sized piece, to our astonishment, he 
swallowed it all down in a few seconds 
as if it had been so much bread. Trav- 
eled fifteen miles and encamped on the 
river, 

Friday 23rd-A mile from our en- 
campment we crossed another fork of 
the river, coming in from the north- 
west. Here the road passes over a 
succcession of high ridges, sometimes 
touching the riyer in its windings a- 



mong the bluffs for four or Wve miles. 
The wiiole valley along here for a dis- 
tance of 16 or 18 miles, is quite nar- 
row affording but a scant supply ql 

I grass. VVe traveled twenty miles and 
encamped on the river at a boiling 

I spring. It throws out a volume of 
water of near a foot in diameter and 
is sutliciently hot to cook meat It is 
situated in the bed of the river and 
forms a pleasant bath, as you can 
procure water at any temperature. 
Several Indians were encamped near 
us on the opposite side of the river. 
One of our party having crossed over 
on horseback in search of grass, they 
became alarmed and scampered off. 
They were pacified, however, w-hen 
they discovered the object of his visit 
and one of them ventured up to our 
wagons and begged for something to 
eat. 

Saturday 24th-Mr. Dexter's train 
came up with us this morning and 
passed us after we had been on the 
road about 3 hours. Between 3 and -4 
o'clock p. m. we came to a .crossing 
and another of those remarkable 
places where the river breaks through 
the mountains. The canon is about 
five miles through and the road crosses 
the river four times. At a short dis- 
tance beyoad the tbird crossing', tiie 
road passes down the bed of the river 
for fifty yards; but there is no difficul- 
ty for the stream is quite sliallow. 
with a hard gravel bottom. We en- 
camped with a good supply of grass, 
two miles from the foot of the canon. 
A good camp may be had at the foot 
of the canon by fording the river. 
Mr. Dexter encamped here. We 
drove till after sundown and it was 
quite dark before we had selected a 



38 



suitable place to atop. Traveled L'l' 
miles. 

Sunday Aujjust 2.3tli-Since we struck 
ihe ITumbolt valley the nijfhts have 
ijeen coW and frosty. Lust nij^ht, 
h )wever, was warm and sultry wltli 
indications of rain. After travelin{>- 
live miles, this morning', wi; arrived at 
-.1 place where tlie road passes over a 
chain of high barren bluffs for 17 
miles. Water may be procured from 
sevei-al smnli springs neur the road. 
We commenced ascending the ijlutfs at 
n o'clock, A. M.. and drove till after 
dark: making a day's travel of about 25 
.•niles. During the ufternoon we liad a 
slight shower. We fell in with some 
packers today, who came through by 
ilie Salt Lake route. They had passed 
over, a ninty mile desetrt, and gave 
some distressing accounts of sutTeriug 
on this road. A number who had 
neglected to inform themselves with 
regard to the route had started on the 
desert without water, and had given up 
to die, but were assisted and brought 
through by other trains. They re- 
lated instances where men had otVered 
ten dollars foi- a drink of watei-, and 
could not procure it at that price. 
0;her*, who had got tlirough safe, re- 
turned and sold water at a dollar a 
quart. The Indians, too, have been 
troublesome on this route. An Ohio 
company had a battle with them and 
killed seven: losing a man or two 
themselves. An old man and his son, 
a lad 12 or 14 years old, had been 
/nurdered. The boy had been scalped 
and the Hesh stripped from his body. 
A number of emigrants, principally 
packers, are now on the road with 
scant supplies of provisions. We 
have liad daily applications for flour, 



bacon, etc., and in fact they have been 
so ijressing in their demands, that we 
deem it necessary to keej) a strict 
guard over our wagons at night. Two 
men were obs'M'ved nev r our caralle, 
at 2 o'clock last night. Our dogs gave 
tlift alarm and as it was a bright 
moonlight night, they were seen sculk- 
itig off among the sage bushes. 

Monday 2Gth-Our cattle were on 
^liort grass last night: we consequent- 
ly started early and drove two miles 
fui'lhei- down the river before break- 
fast. Mr. Dexter and company, who 
had stopped four miles back, passed 
us again on the opposite side of the 
rivei- at 10 o'clock. Started again at 
J2 o'clock and having drove eight 
miles, encamped: making in all ten 
miles. 

Tuesday 27th-A j)orlion of our road 
this murxiiug was ovoi a spur of the 
mountain, to where we crossed the riv- 
er :i;.;iin to the right liand side. Late 
in the evening we passed a party of 
Indians, twoor three hundred in num. 
be), bathing in the river. We en- 
camjjed a mile below them. The 
guard was set early and due prepara- 
tion made in case of an attack. The 
selection of our camp ground was an 
injudicious one. We were enclosed on 
three sides by a dense growth of wil- 
lows, while to the north, where our 
cattle were left to graze, the wild rye 
grew in such luxuriance as to com- 
pletely hide them from our view, one 
hundred yards distant. It was too 
late, however, to mend the matter, and 
we had to make the best of it. Having 
learned that Mr. Pullyblank's train 
was 15 miles behind us, Mr. Moore 



39 



iin<l Jackson stopped back to see some 
of our old acquaintances. As they 
had not arrived at a late hour this 
eveninjr, we were apprehensive that 
they had taken down a road on the 
opposite side of the river branchin^f 
off the last crossing. Traveled 20 
miles. 



ihe river and passing over a barren 

I a&ae country. Mr. Moore and Mr. 
i Jackson came up with us again late 
' this evening. As we suspected they 
I had taken the left hand road and 
I passed us on the opposite side of the 
I river. They were thirty-six hours 
j without food and in the words of Mr. 
I Moore '"caralled in the grass." 



Wednesday 28lh-Once during the 
night we were awakened by the yells of 
the Indians, but as they did not 
api>roaf.h us, we settled down quietly 
to rest again. A greater portion of 
the route yesterday, and for three 
miles this morning, was over salaratus 
ground. After this the road turns to 
the right, close around a rocky point 
of the uiounLain, and for ten miles 
passes over a barren country, covered 
with light ashus, which rises in clouds, , 
at the slightest touch, till it strikes the | 
river again. At this point the valley 
opens out into an extensive plain, cov- ] 
ered with thousands of acres of lux- 
uriant grass. We traveled 7 miles 
further down the river and encamped, 
having made 20 miles. A company of 
packers cncaiuped near us, and made 
a demand for provisions On being 
told our own supplies were short, they 
said ihey knew better, that they were 
"entirely out. and by God they must 
liave sooit!" The matter was arrang- 
ed by selling them a young heifer, 
which they were not long in butcher- 
ing. 

Thursday 2fllh-We fell in with Mr. 
Dexter's party again this morning, a- 
bout four miles on the road and drove 
in company the gre^tter part of the day. 
We traveled 2i miles today. Six miles 
of the road in the morning, leaving 



Friday 30th-We still hear of depre- 
dations by the Indians, but as yet 
have experienced no difficulty with 
them. Mr. Dexter, who encamped 
three miles ahead of us last night, lost 
a very fine horse. Near his camp on 
the road a notice was posted up, warn- 
ing emigrants of danger at this place 
and recommending them to collect in 
large bodies for mutual protection. 
It was stated that several persons had 
been shot near this and a great num- 
ber of cattle and horses stolen. After 
traveling down the river for nine miles 
by a very heavy sandy road to the 
river again where we bad considerable 
ditticulty with our ca.ttle iiiiiing down 
in attempting to drink from Ih 
stream. We had to drag out several 
with ropes. There was no wood lipre, 
but we had provided a supply on tin 
road for night and morning. Wholi 
day's travel 32 miles. 

Saturday 31st-This day we traveled 
18 miles. During the greater part ol 
the forenoon our route was along tht 
foot of a barren sage ridge, bordered 
by a wide spread marsh formed by th( 
river. Near the foot of this marsh, 
the road forks; the right hand trai! 
bearing off in a north west course, 
round an arui of the marsh, while the 
left follows llie course of the riyer 
The distance h.v the right hand trail 



40 



to the junction of the two roads ajfain 
is about live miles; that to the left is 
only about t.vo. We took to the rig^ht 
to avoid the crossing' of a bad slouffh, 
and a side-hill road at the base of tJie 
iiiiituHain on the opposite side of the 
luarsh. An Indian was shot here a 
few days since, and left unburied. An 
Uliio company had thrown some aarth 
ovei- him and stated, by an inscription 
at his o^rave that he who had done this 
deed, and thus left the body exposed 
was worse than the untutored savag'e 
whom he had killed. Weencampcd on 
Ihi' river, live miles below this 

Sunday Sept. 1st VVe traveled only 
15 miles today over a barren sandy 
ridtfi', runninjf with the course of the 
river We encamped with a scant sup- 
ply of {jrass. Mr. Jackson stopped 
back this morning to wait for Mr. Pul- 
!\ blank's train to come up. He in- 
tends to pack throuirh from here and 
will ix" joined by five or six others 
fi'o;ii Mr. Pullyblank's company. 
T'ji le is a considerable amount of suf- 
foi-ing on the road for want of pro- 
visions and we have daily demands 
made upon our stores for relief. In 
m(;.-^t cases we have given a little but 
our own supplies are running short 
and hereafter we have determined to 
f xiend relief only in extreme cases 
of sufifering. We came across a poor 
feiiow today, drivinc: a bull before 
him, packing his blanket, clothing, 
C'loking utensils, etc lie was one of a 
small train of three or four wagons 
who had been unfortunate in losing 
cattle till they were compelled to re- 
sort to packing and had all finally be- 
come separated. lie had gained his 
subsistence along the Humboldt by 
lisliing. His plan was to stop a day or 



I two ocasionally in a good place and 
j smoke his fish, which he bartered with 
the emigrants for breadstuffs, sugar, 
: CO flee, etc. 

Monday 2nd-During the whole of 
' today the road was heavy and sandy 
and our progress consequently very 
slow. We encamped on the river ear- 
ly in the evening in order to butcher 
a beef. Traveled 12 miles. 

Tuesday 3rd-Soon after leaving' our 
encampment, we struck off from the 
river on a high barren ridge covered 
with ashes. The only production of 
the soil here is a stunted growth of 
artamesia and plants of this descrip- 
tion. Our road continued over this 
barren plain for ten miles, when it 
again struck the river. Our journey 
today was disagreeable enough on ac- 
count of the clouds of dust that were 
continually rising from the tramj)ing 
of the cattle. We traveled 15 miles; 
the latter portion of the road being 
partly in the valley, till we finally 
ciuerged into a wide valley of the river 
covered witli very good grass, where 
we encamped. Here we deemed it ex- 
pedient to remain for a day and cut a 
supply of grass for the desert 

Wednesday 4th-Early this morning 
each luan had his duty assigned him 
for the day. The best grass was found 
on the opposite side of the river. Two 
men were accordingly sent back five 
miles by the road to bring down a 
wagon bed which we had observed 
tied to some willows yesterday, which 
had been converted into a boat. Mr. 
Miiore was to be hunter and I, through 
choice, remained in camp to procure 
wood for baking and to fish. The dis- 



41 



tance the boat had to be brought by 
the course of the stream, proved to be 
about twenty miles and it did not ar- 
rive till near one o'clock. Mr. Moore 
came in soon after with 15 ducks and I 
had in the meantime caujfht sixteen 
lish, averajfing half a pound apiece. 
The hay was baled up and brought 
over in the eveninjj. Here we were V)e- 
set ajfain by a swarm of hungry emi- 
grants asking for provi-sions. Our 
own safety, however, compels us in 
most cases to turn a deaf ear to their 
entreaties for broadstuffs. During the 
day we disposed of 75 pounds of beef 
t > those most in need of relief. 

Thursday 5tii-l'assing down the val- 
ley of the river for ten miles this morn- 
ing, we halted for dinner. Three 
young men, packing on foot, overtook 
us here, entirely out of provisions. 
One of them was a mere boy and beg- 
ed hard for a passage through by our 
train, but our limited supplies forbids 
the risk- of increasing our numbers, 
Mr. Moore had taken up a stray ox 
yesterday, which he shot down and 
presented to them, with the under- 
standing that they were to share it 
with any others that might pass dur- 
ing the day. We left here at three 
o'clock and after traveling over a 
ridge for eight miles turned to the riv- 
er again a mile distant and encamped 
on very short grass. 



Friday 6th-We still continued down 
Iho ridge by a heavy road, for eighteen 
miles and encamped on a high blufif of 
the river, without grass and had to 
procure water by descending 150 feet 
by a steep and winding path. Our 
fuel was a stunted growth of artamesia 



and it was with considerable labor 
that we obtained a suflBcient supply. 

Saturday 7th-Three miles down the 
river this morning we stopped to graze 
our cattle. Here we were doomed to a 
day of tiresome inactivity. Three 
hours were sufficient to graze our 
teams but our leaders deemed it neces- 
sary to throw away the entire day and 
for the sake of peace, the company 
submitted to the arrangement. I en- 
deavored to pass off the time in tiahing 
but in this I was uu.succussful and 
j anally retired to my wagon to sleep. 

I Sunday 8th-Por several miles this 
I morning we passed over a singular 
j strip of country, covered with turf, 
I from six inches to two feet deep and 
I which appears to have been once the 
I bottom of a large lake. A great part 
I of it had been burned and some por- 
I ti<>ns of it was still burning. While 
; the wagons were passing by a circuit- 
i ous route a number of us undertook 
to make a near cut over a place that 
had been recf-ntly burned, but were 
forced to return to the road again on 
account of the depth of ashes and cin- 
j ders, into which we sometimes sunk 
I above our knees and finding it quit'.! 
I hot we became fearful of tumbling into 
I Some burning pit and had to retreat. 
Twelve miles from the place of start- 
ing we stopped to take in water for the 
desert, from a small spring under ;i 
high bank of a slough to the left of 
the road. The water was strongly iin- 
|)regnated with sulphur. Four miles 
below here, by the course of the rivrr 
but ten miles by the road, we encamp- 
ed at the Big Meadow, to cut grass. 
It was quite dark when we arrived here 
amid the glare of fifty campfires, bla/- 



42 



ing- up from as many wag-ons, all on 
the same errand as ourselves. This 
day was ]ja,ssod in cuttini'- and curing 
i,'Tass, baking I)read and otherwise 
preparing for tlie desert, now 2'.', miles 
distant 

Tuesday lOlh-We traveled 18 miles 
today and encamped on a shallow lake 
around the border of which our road 
liad been winding for half the day. 
While passing through some tall, rank 
grass this morning we came upon an 
i-ncampment of four hundred Indians. 
They were occupied in making hay 
which they traded to the emigrants. 
They appeared friendly, but we col- 
lected our train together and kept near 
our wagons to be ready for any emer- 
gency that might happen. 

\Vednesday llth-We reached the 
link of Humboldt river, six miles, at 
12 and entered the long looked for and 
much dreaded desert. Our first im- 
pressions with regard to its passage 
were anything but agreeabl< , for in 
the first 5 miles, the distance traveled 
by day light we counted the dead car- 
cases of 64 oxen and 55 horses and 
mules. During the night we could not 
Weep any account of the loss of stock, 
but we know the average was greatly 
increased as we neared Carson river, 
the Desert on the south. The destruc- 1 
tion of property here is immense. For 
forty miles the road is strewn with j 
abandoned wagons and sometimes the 
whole of their contents except provi- 
sions. Whole caralles, numbering i 
five or six wagons, were found desert- [ 
ed and the place literally covered with ' 
dead cattle; many of them still tied to 
the wheels of the wagons. The whole ; 
air throughout the desert was tainted 



j with the smell of carrion. The night 
I was unusually cold and we passed 
^ several encampments where ])ersons 
were burning wagons to warm them 
selves. At 4 o'clock a. m. we came to 
a halt by two or three old wagons 
which we used as fuel for cooking. 
During our journey in the night we 
had left two cows and an ox on the 
desert, unable to travel any further. 
At i) o'clock one entire team gave out 
and we were compelled to leave a wag- 
gon within six miles of the river and 
drive the cattle on to water. Mr. 
Moore was left in charge of the wagon 
with a supply of provisions and water 
until we could recruit the teams and 
return for it. It was brought in at 11 
o'clock allright. 

Thursday r2th-We reached Carson 
river at 11 o'clock a. ra. and encamp- 
ed. There are a number of temporary 
recruiting establishments here, with an 
abundance of provisions but the arti- 
cles most in demand are generally held 
at such extravagant prices. The 
goods offered for sale here are trans- 
ported from Sacramento on pack 
mules. The distance across the desert 
from the Link is 45 miles; two-thirds of 
which has to be traveled over a very 
heavy sandy road. 

Friday 13th-Traveled six miles of 
the way on a heavy sandy road and 
finding our teams ware very much ex- 
hausted we turned them out to graze 
and did not move any further today. 

Saturday 14-Passed over another 
twelve mile desert today and were corn- 
ed to leave a wagon with a man in 
charge five miles back from our en- 
campment. We traveled 16 miles in 



43 



all and encamped on the river again 
with very scant feed for the ciiltle. 
Half way on our journey today we met 
a mule team in charge of two Mexicans 
transporting flour out to the emi- 
grants. A train also passed us, re- 
turning to Sacramento. The pros- 
pect for getting through before snow 
sets in on the mountains, begins to 
look rather gloomy. Our teams are 
very much reduced and if they do not 
recruit soon we will be driven to the 
alternate of trading away some of our 
wagons and everything else that can 
Ijossibly be dispensed with, in order 
lo get through. 

Sunday 15th-We drove only five 
luiles today and encamped on the river 
with a good supply of grass. Mr. 
Sweasy contemplates stopping here 
for three days. These unreasonable 
delays have caused considerable mur- 
muring in the company and will doubt- 
less be the means of many leaving the 
train. Mr. Pritchard is already pre 
paring to pack through on foot and I 
have no doubt many others will soon 
follow his example. We are now 250 
miles from Sacramento. 

On the 18th Mr. Sweasy, much a- 
gainst the will of the company having 
declared his intention of remaining 
three or four days longer, Messrs. 
Mills, Lyon and myself, parted with 
him having bargained with a specula- 
tor in cattle to drive his baggage wag- 
on through for our boarding. Owing 
to the increased duties of guarding a 
hundred head of cattle, being only 
eleven men in company, I was forced 
to discontinue my notes. The remain- 
der of my Journal is made up from 



recollection at a later period. 

For three days we found the country 
a succession of short deserts of four to 
fifteen miles in extent, the road cross- 
ing the river at two points until we 
reached Carson Valley. The valley 
is about twenty miles long and ten 
miles wide and certainly one of the 
most delightful spots on the face of the 
earth. On the north it is bounded by 
a high range of mountains, being the 
first of the Sierra Nevada, covered 
with pine trees of an immense size. 
Carson river passes through the cen- 
ter; while to the south barren and rug- 
ged mountain peaks rise up in the dis- 
tance. The road" passes close along 
the base of the mountain on the north 
and is intersected at short intervals by 
clear and cool rivulets, winding their 
couse to the river, through luxuriant 
meadows: which notwithstanding the 
immense emigration, still continues 
to yield an undimished supply of 
s^nass. Leaving Carson Valley the 
road for six or eight miles, passes 
over a range of high and barren bluffs 
and enters Carson River Canon, i 
shall not attempt a description of this 
mountain pass but simply^ re-mark, 
that for the passage of wagons, this is 
as diffif.ult, perhaps, as the imagina- 
tion can conceive. The distance 
through is five miles: in which the. riv- 
er has to be crossed a number of times 
on rude bridges, constructed by the 
first emigrants and the wagons were 
constantly endangered by jumping 
from perpendicular edges and jutting 
rocks, in one respect this is altogeth- 
er unlike any other part of the route, 
for two thousand miles. On entering 
the canon the difficulty of the passage 



44 



is almost forgotten in tlio atfreeab'e 
sensation produced by the sliadc of a 
dense pine forest. Weencaiuped in a 
small valley at the head of the canon. 
Thenijfhtwai cold and frosty the 
grazing scant, our cattle wandered 
considerably and the task of following 
them over marshy ground with wet 
feet was disagreeable in the extreme. 
We broke up our encampment at an 
early hour and after passing nearly 
south between two high ranges of 
mountains, over gently undulating 
ground during the greater part of th«; 
day we encamped near the base of the 
second range. Here we held ourselves 
ready all night and at daylight were 
somewhat surprised to find the moun- 
tains white with snow. Our fears in 
this respect, however, were removed 
by the snow melting off again in the 
course of the forenoon, when we com- 
menced the ascent of the second range. 
There is no difficulty here that may 
not be overcome with fresh and strong 
teams. We accomplished the task in 
about three hours and after driving 
half a day, again descended to a small 
lake at the foot of the third and last 
range, at all ordinary times the mar- 
gin of this lake affords good grazing, 
but we were compelled to drive over 
another hill and through a narrow 
pass into another narrow valley. We 
were late and night overtook us in the 
middle of the pass. The cattle wan- 
dered into ravines branching off into 
another valley and ?,fter an unsuccess- 
ful attempt to herd Ihem, we finally ! 
had to dismount and lead our mules . 
over broken rocks between high preci- ' 
pice. We were com])f;lled at length to ' 
encamp and take our chance where we , 

The V 



were. 

With a fresh team, selected from our 
herd of cattle, on the morning succeed- 
ing our night adventure in the moun- 
tain pass, we commenced the ascent of 
the third and last range. This was 
our worst day, dead horses and cattle 
strewn the road from end to end. It 
is sufficient indications of the terrible 
hardshios to be encnnnt^rod by those 
less fortunate than ourselves. Two of 
our best horses died during our en- 
campment, before reaching the sum- 
mit. We were also for a time in the 
region of eternal snow. 

Five of our best mules were lost on 
the night following our departure from 
the summit. Having information 
through a prospecting party that we 
were in the neighborhood of Indians 
numbering about six hundred, sus- 
pected the mules had been stolen. 
Arrangements were accordingly made 
to hunt them. Eight men, well armed, 
were despatched to the pasture for that 
purpose. The remaining three, among 
whom was myself, were detailed in 
charge of the baggage wagon; we had 
little to fear the Indians being unarm- 
ed, with no signs of hostility and our 
display of force was considered amjjly 
sufficient to resist an attack if neces- 
sary. We were saved from further de- 
tention by finding the mules about a 
mile distant where they had strayed 
during the night. 

During the remainder of our journey 
nothing occurred worth recording after 
this long period of camp life. AV'r; 
reached the gold mines without further 
adventure the first day of October, si.\ 
months from the time of leaving home, 
'^nd. 



45 



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